To boost back-to-school in Idenau: GOOFIRM conducts free health screening, donates didactic materials.

Health and development nonprofit organisation, GOOFIRM, carried out the donation and free health consultations in Bibunde village. 

The activity is part of the organisation’s drive to promote the well-being and academic success of pupils, students, vulnerable populations, and pregnant women in the area. 

The Executive Director of GOOFIRM, Sandra Fokum Esong, said the initiative is part of their contribution in addressing the educational and health needs of the population while emphasising the importance of health and wellness in the community.

The donation of didactics targeted schoolchildren from both the basic and secondary education sectors. Its goal was to support parents in providing their children with the tools they need to enhance their learning. 

The free health screenings and consultations targeted pupils, students, pregnant women, vulnerable girls and denizens of Bibunde. 

Denizens were screened for ailments like blood sugar, random blood sugar, malaria parasites, hemoglobin level, blood pressure, chlamydia, and hepatitis B to ensure potential health issues could be identified early. 

These health screenings and consultations aimed to ensure students and pupils focus on their studies without the burden of undiagnosed health problems.

Addressing beneficiaries and other stakeholders during the exercise, the Chief of Bibunde Village, HRM Neando Peter Bolanjo Mosukwaka III, saluted the organisation’s commitment to supporting educational and health initiatives, crucial ingredients for the community’s development. 

The West Coast Subdivision in general and Bibunde village in particular have been negatively impacted by the Anglophone crisis even though they continue to welcome more internally displaced persons. 

Chief Mosukwaka noted that the initiative would help his people determine their health status.

The organisation also used the exercise to sensitise the population on the benefit of the Universal Health Coverage scheme, while facilitating pre-enrollment for those present. 

Parents and guardians were encouraged to enroll their children below the ages of 0-5 to benefit from free services such as malaria treatment, and vulnerable populations including those suffering from tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, guiding them through the application process. 

Speaking to the press, the Executive Director of GOOFIRM, Sandra Fokum Esong, said their choice of Idenau came because of its dense population and the impacts of the ongoing crisis plaguing the two Anglophone regions. 

“Our presence here today is to sensitize the population to know their health status and improve access to quality health care,” she explained.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3220 of Thursday, September 5, 2024