MediServe Provides Free Eye Screening, Glasses, Medical Outreach To Elderly Citizens, Lagos Bus Drivers; Joy Ogunsan, Soleeha Musa-Etiko Restates Importance of Eye
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
A youth-led health initiative, MediServe, co-founded by Soleeha Musa-Etiko and Joy Ogunsan has impacted the healthcare needs of senior citizens in Nigeria with a free eye screening exercise and eye glasses. Apart from the elderly, the medical outreach, which was conducted within a bus park, also attracted many drivers who serve in the public transport sector. The outreach became an answer to the yearnings of the beneficiaries who have not only enjoyed the eye screening but are also assured of getting free eye glasses, if they are found to be in need of such after the screening exercise. The outreach led by high school students who aspire to be healthcare professionals was supported by Nigeria’s leading private healthcare provider, MeCure, Trek Africa Newspaper can report.
Upon seeing the massive success of this inaugural outreach with over fifty (50) elderly citizens and Bus drivers participated in the free medical services, the bright, young minds, all-female who facilitated the idea reinforced their commitment to healthcare improvement, social impact, girl-child advocacy, and national development through the MediServe initiative. MediServe is co-founded by Soleeha Musa-Etiko, Joy Ogunsan, Tamilore Adeigbie and enjoys the proud membership of Precious Adiatu, Michelle Ossai, and Oluwaseun Ogunsan. The Health professionals from MeCure Eye Center who participated in making the health outreach a success include consultant ophthalmologist, Dr. Sunday Alabi; Trainer, Dr. Oscar Ovbiebo; and Nurse Manager, Gloria Odok.
Special Guests who were present at the MediServe Free Eye Test Medical Outreach include the CEO of Executive Trainer Ltd, Dr. Mrs. Ajoke Ogunsan; Mrs. Musa-Etiko; Mrs. Ossai; Mrs. Adeigbie; the Chairman of the Ewenla Bus Park, Oshodi; Treasurer of the Bus Park, Sowunmi Kolawole, among others.
Speaking on the outreach, the consultant ophthalmologist, Dr. Sunday Alabi noted: ‘This outreach program is targeted at elderly people that have eye condition in the central park in Oshodi. We appreciate MediServe and the students for the idea to give back to society which is also part of their program and training as people who want to become healthcare practitioners. They are doing this for drivers whose one of their top assets is good eyesight.’
‘The importance of the human eye cannot be overemphasized. It is our gift from God. It is the light of the body. It is what we use to see the beautiful world. We are preaching early detection.’
About the young girls leading the initiative, Dr. Alabi expressed excitement, ‘Before now the students have been coming to learn how to do eye screening. Today, they are perfecting the practice and also see how they are impacting the society. The impact will not just be within the motor park alone, it will be across Nigeria.’
The founder of MediServe,
Soleeha Musa-Etiko shared: ‘It was founded because I wanted to reach out to people in need and since I am passionate about medicine, I invited some of my friends to do this together. This eye screening will assist the drivers in seeing clearly while driving, reducing road accidents which will help the community to be safer.’
‘This outreach is not limited to eye screening, in the future, we hope to do more and we encourage young people out there to do small initiatives like this in their various communities.’
In the same vein, the co-founder, Joy Ogunsan added: ‘MediServe is a youth-led initiative that provides sustainable healthcare to people in the country and by God’s Grace all over the world. We are here to do this because we have a lot of people in Lagos who are not able to afford healthcare and to also be a source of inspiration to other girls that may feel intimidated about impacting the world.’
‘We got support from family and friends to do this and we also got the collaboration of MeCure that will give the eye glasses and they also helped us to get this venue,’ the young Ogunsan stated.
The treasurer of the car park, Sowunmi Kolawole gave a brief appreciation remarks to MediServe and MeCure. ‘This is a welcome development and we appreciate the group. Some people are dying in silence with cataract and so on. If they should go to the hospital, many will not be able to afford it.’
One of the beneficiaries of the outreach, Akerele Omowunmi shared: ‘I did my eye checkup today, I have been having complaints about my eye but when I heard it’s MediServe supported by MeCure that is organizing the program, I decided to come and participate in it.’
‘They attended to us for free and they promised that they will give us free eye glasses. I want to thank the young ladies and I pray for them that they will grow higher in the profession’, Omowunmi concluded.
