By Chinelo Obogo
Founder of FIBOCARES Foundation, Fatima Obanikoro, has provided free healthcare for 500 women in Eti Osa Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
Speaking at the medical outreach she organised on Tuesday in Lagos, Obanikoro, who is the wife of Babajide, the House Representatives member for Eti Osa Constituency, said she lost a friend about four weeks ago to mental health issues and that it necessitated the foundation’s inclusion of awareness on mental health.
She also added that there has been an increase in HIV infection in the state, so she needed to create awareness for people who are not financially bouyant enough to care for themselves.
“Every year we pick a topic and then reach out to women in Eti-Osa. Last year, we did an empowerment to help women in the are of vocational training. This year, what we are doing his mental health, HIV awareness and also women’s general health and well being.
“I realise that a lot of women do not really give or put in effort in taking care of themselves. I just felt I should bridge the gap. This is a medium for me to get across to them and at least give back to them and do something for my community. For this event, we have about 500 beneficiaries,” she said.
According to her, several women have been empowered and trained by the foundation in the previous editions.
She said that the 2021 vocational training included providing resources for hair dressers, caterers, hair stylists, make up artists and fashion designers to establish businesses.
Obanikoro said that she is happy the beneficiaries are still fully thriving.
On sustainability of the program, she has been speaking with her husband to sponsor a bill that would tackle women’s health awareness.
The wife of the deputy governor of Lagos, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, who was at the event applauded her, saying:
“I am indeed delighted that this programme is designed to reinforce inclusion and accessibility of our women in broad range of health care services available for their benefits in the public and private healthcare facilities.
” Healthcare opportunities such as this will help in no small measure in achieving the universal health coverage and in reducing mental health issues, aids pandemic and other myriad of health challenges in our society.
“We must all continue to promote initiatives that would give our women and children rights to full and adequate medical care, especially where social, cultural restrictions or discrimination may hinder access to such medical services.
“This event has shown clearly that all hands must be on deck, we can not leave it all for government to do, we have to continuously contribute our own quota to the growth and development of our nation by coming up with initiatives that would be of benefits to all.
“Health is something we can’t buy with money but we can take care of it with timely health interventions such as this.”
