No fewer than 300 pupils in two public primary schools in Edo rural communities have benefited from the Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) free Community Medical Outreach.
Reports have it that the beneficiaries were drawn from Ogiama and Obazagbon primary schools both in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.
The medical intervention is part of the 17th LAPO Annual Community Health Outreach held in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) at Obazagbon primary school in Benin on Friday.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of LAPO, Dr Honestus Obadiora, said the community outreach was to improve access to quality health services, especially for maternal and child health in rural areas.
“Since the inception of the community health outreach in 2015, a total of 15, 649 persons have benefited.
“The 17th edition of the programme is aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable people, especially children living within and around the community.
Represented by Mrs Vivian Evbotokhai, the Senior Programme Officer, LAPO, the executive director appealed to well meaning individuals and organisations to support in taking quality healthcare to vulnerable communities across the country.
The Head teacher of Ogiama primary school, Miss Gloria Ikhile, said the outreach was first of its kind in the selected schools and a laudable and welcome development.
Ikhile said thanked LAPO and SUBEB for their sincerity in the implementation of the programme in the two schools.
Also commending the gesture, the Enogie of Obazagbon community, HRH Victor Iyawe, said the health programme was apt as the community lacked healthcare facilities.
Represented by Mr Abiodun Obayuwana, the Secretary of the community, the traditional leader appealed to the state government to provide a primary healthcare centre in the community.
Similarly, Mr Akhere Alukhegbe, the Vice chairman of the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) in Obazagbon, said the health intervention would improve the academic performance of the pupils.
“Some of the pupils have been complaining about eye problem and we believe that the free eye screening will help address this problem,” Alukhegbe said.
Meanwhile, Mrs Josephine Irabor, the Health officer, Edo SUBEB, said the board ensured that pupils selected for the outreach got their parental consent.
“We worked with field officers in the council as well as the SBMC in the community to sensitise parents about the health outreach programme for their wards.
“Children who got their parental consent are the ones benefiting from the outreach programme,” she said.
Our correspondent reports that the pupils were educated on general personal hygiene such as the proper way to take care of their teeth and regular hand washing.
The pupils were given free toothpaste and tooth brushes while tooth extractions were done for pupils with damaged tooth.