A United States-based non-profit organisation, Quantus Medical Foundation, on Monday launched a girls’ health outreach aimed at reaching 600 students across Abia and Enugu states through practical health education, personal hygiene kits and guidance on confidence, personal safety and care.
The foundation’s outreach is an initiative led by the founder, Dr. Nnenna Ihekoromadu, a Nigerian-American physician from the Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, Abia State, whose commitment to improving healthcare in Nigeria extends to helping girls understand their bodies and seek care with confidence.
Speaking at the event in Aba, the Chief Medical Director of Aba General Hospital, Dr. Amaka Kamalu, urged the students to maintain good personal hygiene and conduct themselves with confidence and dignity.
She said, “Good grooming was not determined by expensive clothing or family wealth, but by cleanliness, self-respect and responsible behaviour”, and cautioned against skin-bleaching creams and negative social media influences, encouraging the girls to recognise their worth and believe in their abilities.
“You are a girl-child today, but tomorrow you will be a woman, a leader, an innovator and a nation builder,” she said.
She advised students with the ambition of becoming medical practitioners to remain disciplined, excel in science subjects and prepare adequately for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination.
Delivering the keynote lecture on behalf of the founderof the Quanta’s Medical Foundation, Dr. Uzo Oguine encouraged the girls to prioritise their health, establish personal boundaries and speak out whenever they experienced health challenges or abuse.
She highlighted the need for the Foundation’s presence at Aba General Hospital, Abia State University Teaching Hospital and Abia Specialist Hospital, Umuahia, explaining that its patient liaison officers could help students navigate hospital services and reach appropriate healthcare professionals.
Oguine added, “Do not suffer in silence, seek support from trusted adults and qualified health professionals. Good health is essential to pursuing your ambitions, or whatever career you chose”.
Speaking, the Team Lead of the foundation’s Patient Liaison Officers in Abia State, Egbe Bernard Esang, expressed optimism that the lectures would help the girls make informed decisions and carry the knowledge into their homes and communities.
In her vote of thanks, the Dean of Studies, Mrs. Chika Ezissi, encouraged students to share what they had learned with their classmates so that more girls could benefit.
The foundation offered each student health kit that included personal hygiene essentials and a “Dear Girl” letter from Dr. Ihekoromadu to reinforce each girl’s dignity, sense of purpose and confidence to speak up about her health.