Rotary Club Delivers Lifesaving Health Services to Over 450 Women and Children in Jikwoyi

The Rotary Club of Abuja Imperial, in collaboration with health sector partners, has provided essential maternal and child health services to over 450 underserved residents in Jikwoyi, Abuja.

The community outreach, held at the Jikwoyi Stadium, focused on critical interventions such as free medical consultations, antenatal care, malaria treatment, family planning, cervical cancer screening, HIV and hepatitis testing, adolescent reproductive health education, and immunizations.

Rotarian Adedotun Amori, Charter President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Imperial, emphasized that the initiative aligns with Rotary International’s global commitment to maternal and child health.

“We are focused on saving lives, especially in communities like Jikwoyi with high populations of underserved women and children,” Amori said. He noted that the outreach targeted 300 women and adolescent girls — including pregnant women, lactating mothers, and teenage girls — along with 150 children under five.

Beyond clinical services, the outreach also addressed common health concerns such as malaria in pregnancy, anemia, and child malnutrition. Children were screened for malnutrition, and mothers were taught how to prepare nutritious meals using affordable, local ingredients.

Adolescent girls received guidance on menstrual hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, and were offered voluntary services in a private, confidential setting. Expert partners, including the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (FCT Branch), MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, and Medicaid Cancer Foundation, ensured high-quality service delivery.

The programme also featured immunizations for infants and toddlers, supported by the FCT Primary Health Care Board. A referral system was established for follow-up care, ensuring beneficiaries are connected to public health facilities.

Dr. Rukayat Wamakko, Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, lauded the initiative for prioritizing safe motherhood and reaching marginalized groups.

“This event underscores the need to keep communities at the center of healthcare delivery,” she said, while commending the involvement of traditional leaders and the Chief of Jikwoyi for their support.

Health professionals from across various sectors — including nurses, midwives, doctors, and pharmacists — volunteered their expertise to the outreach. Civil society organizations and academic institutions also played key roles.

One of the participants, 17-year-old Michael Loveth, expressed appreciation for the adolescent health session. “I felt comfortable discussing issues like menstruation. More girls need access to this kind of education and care,” she said.

Rotarian Amori noted that similar health outreaches have been carried out in Karu and Karmajigi and are planned for other underserved communities in the FCT.

The Jikwoyi outreach serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through community-driven partnerships and collaborative health efforts.