Community Health Drive: 500 Jalingo Residents Benefit From Free Hepatitis Screening
…as youth leader Lakuza Damisa, SSF Foundation take healthcare intervention to grassroots
No fewer than 500 residents of Abuja P.H.E.S 1 community in Jalingo, Taraba State, have benefited from a free hepatitis screening exercise organised by the community’s Youth Leader, Mr. Lakuza Damisa, as part of efforts to promote early detection and preventive healthcare at the grassroots.
The health outreach provided residents with an opportunity to know their hepatitis status at no cost, while also creating awareness about prevention, early diagnosis and the importance of seeking appropriate medical attention where necessary.
Damisa said the initiative was driven by concern for the health and wellbeing of residents, particularly the need to make basic health screening more accessible to people who might ordinarily be unable or reluctant to undertake such tests.
The exercise was supported by the SSF Foundation, whose sponsorship enabled the organisers to extend the screening to hundreds of residents.
Community members who participated in the programme expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing the exercise as an important example of how community leadership and private humanitarian support can complement efforts to improve access to healthcare.
Damisa also expressed appreciation to Mr. Sam Saidu, Police Orderly to the Governor of Taraba State and Chief Executive Officer of SSF Foundation, for supporting the programme.
He said Saidu’s contribution was instrumental to the successful implementation of the outreach and demonstrated the Foundation’s commitment to grassroots development and the wellbeing of residents.
According to the organisers, beyond identifying residents who may require further medical attention, the exercise was also designed to encourage a culture of regular health checks and greater awareness about hepatitis within the community.
The initiative adds to growing calls for stronger community-based health interventions, particularly preventive programmes that encourage early detection of diseases before complications develop.
Damisa pledged to continue promoting initiatives capable of improving the welfare of young people and other residents of Abuja P.H.E.S 1 community, while seeking partnerships that can bring meaningful development closer to the people.
