UBOMI takes free healthcare to Ibadan, targets 5,000 residents
By Sola Ogundipe
For thousands of Ibadan residents shut out of healthcare by cost, relief has come in the form of free consultations, drugs, diagnostic tests and surgery as Pistis Foundation’s UBOMI healthcare outreach expands beyond Lagos for the first time in its 10-year history.
The five-day intervention, being implemented with The Elevation Church, Pro Health International and Zenithcare Hospital, Oyo State, began at Pistis Hub, Ibadan, targeting 5,000 residents with free treatment for a range of health conditions, including surgery.
The expansion marks a major shift for UBOMI, the flagship health intervention of Pistis Foundation, the social intervention vehicle of The Elevation Church.
Speaking at the opening, Executive Director of Pistis Foundation, Leonard F. Thomas, said the decision to take UBOMI to Ibadan was driven by the need to bridge the gap between healthcare needs and affordability.
“UBOMI is in its 10th year, and this is the first time we are taking it outside Lagos and the first time in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. We believe healthcare is a necessity for everyone, but we also believe that not everyone can afford quality healthcare.
“With UBOMI, we have come to close the gap by providing quality healthcare to people who cannot afford it, at no cost to them,” Thomas said.
He said the response from residents had been encouraging even as he attributed the expansion to the continued support of the foundation’s partners and supporters in Nigeria and abroad.
Founder and Executive Director of Pro Health International, Dr Iko Ibanga, said the organisation had served as the programme’s technical partner for six years, during which patients had received hernia, eye, fibroid and dental surgeries.
“We believe this programme has impacted tremendously on individuals and communities. Coming to Ibadan for the first time is a step forward for UBOMI, and we are glad that we have been able to perform surgeries with a 99 per cent success rate in the last six years,” he said.
Resident Pastor of The Elevation Church, Ibadan, Pastor Oluwaseun Afolayan, said: “This programme is for all faiths, regardless of religion, because our watchword as a church is to meet the health needs of all people without focusing on a particular group.”
Since its inception, UBOMI has recorded 48,706 verified medical interventions, according to its organisers, who also report a 99 per cent surgical success rate.
The services include medical consultations, diagnostic investigations, pharmaceutical support, dental and eye care, general and specialist surgeries, and health education.
Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Adewumi Ajetunmobi, commended the initiative and reaffirmed the state government’s support for efforts to improve access to healthcare.