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In Our Mind Foundation (IOM) has called on government health authorities, healthcare institutions and professional bodies to partner with the organisation to strengthen community health screening and improve access to appropriate healthcare across Nigeria.
The founder of the foundation, Iruoma Obiesie Onuko, also known as “Nurse Angel”, made the call during a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, where she presented preliminary findings from the foundation’s community screening programme.
According to Onuko, the foundation’s current report showed that 48.74 per cent of recorded blood pressure results fell within the high blood pressure category, while 5.74 per cent fell within the low blood pressure category.
She disclosed that the foundation was proposing a 12-month programme to strengthen existing outreach activities and expand its reach in a measured and responsible manner.
According to her, the initiative would build on the foundation’s community engagement efforts while strengthening institutional and clinical partnerships to ensure that people screened in their communities could access appropriate healthcare services.
Onuko said the foundation was seeking partners who could contribute technical expertise, resources and institutional support to expand the programme and improve service delivery.
She added that the appeal was directed at prospective partners interested in advancing community health, improving access to screening and strengthening the connection between communities and healthcare services.
Explaining the motivation behind the initiative, Onuko said the foundation had observed that many Nigerians did not routinely visit hospitals for preventive health checks.
“We want to screen as many people as possible because we have observed that many Nigerians do not go to hospitals for routine health checks.
“Many people only seek medical attention when they feel unwell, while others may rely primarily on prayer rather than preventive healthcare.
“Our goal is to take health screening closer to the people by reaching them where they live and work, including markets, places of worship and other community spaces,” she said.
Onuko explained that the foundation took health education, free blood pressure and blood glucose checks, referral services and follow-up support directly into communities to encourage early identification of potential health concerns and promote access to appropriate care.
She said the foundation’s work extended beyond healthcare to include mindset development, practical training and enterprise support, aimed at helping individuals realise their potential and improve their livelihoods.
The founder called on government agencies, healthcare providers, professional organisations and other stakeholders to collaborate with the foundation in building a more accessible and sustainable community health screening programme.
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