Rafeeqee Foundation Inc., a non-profit Islamic organization dedicated to humanitarian and faith-based development, has organised a free medical outreach in the Apete community of Ibadan, Oyo State, offering residents access to essential healthcare services, medications, and health education.
The outreach featured a range of services including free blood tests, medical consultations, drug distribution, and health talks focusing on preventive care and wellness. Over 80 residents, mostly elderly people and low-income earners, benefited from the initiative.
Barakat Raji, the Project Executor for Oyo State, said the foundation’s mission extends beyond religious mentoring to addressing the physical and social needs of communities.
“The purpose of this outreach is to enlighten the community about their health, give them access to basic medical checks, and ensure early detection of ailments. We check blood pressure, temperature, and other vitals, and provide drugs for treatable conditions. For cases requiring further medical attention, our personnel refer patients for hospital follow-ups,” she explained.
Established in 2013, Rafeeqee Foundation Inc. has become known for its wide-reaching social impact projects across Nigeria. These include empowerment programmes, “Back to School” initiatives, hospital visitations, Ramadan feeding and borehole drilling projects, as well as health awareness campaigns in both the South-West and Northern regions.
Adeyemo Yakub Olalekan, the Vice President of the Foundation, said the outreach was born out of a desire to reach underserved Nigerians who face financial or geographic barriers to accessing quality healthcare.
“Many people in our communities struggle with health challenges but cannot afford hospital care. That is why Rafeeqee Foundation decided to go into rural and peri-urban areas to bring medical experts closer to the people. This is our third outreach in Oyo State after similar ones in Katsina and Ogun,” he stated.
Also speaking, Ibrahim Abdul-Hameed Almaahiy, one of the Project Executors, emphasised that the foundation’s decade-long commitment to humanitarian service is driven by the belief that “health is wealth.”
“Our motivation is to promote community wellness. Through our various projects from Ramadan programmes to borehole construction, we are demonstrating that faith and service must go hand in hand,” he added.
Beneficiaries of the outreach expressed gratitude for the initiative, describing it as both timely and life-changing.
Mr. Busari Sheriff Olalekan, one of the participants, said:
“This is a big relief for us here in Apete. Many of us don’t go to the hospital. Today, I was able to check my blood pressure and get free drugs. I thank Rafeeqee Foundation for thinking about the poor.”
Mrs. Saheed Tawakatu, another beneficiary, said the turnout at the outreach was proof that many people in Apete truly needed such an intervention.
“We are happy because they hardly get this kind of opportunity. Some even walked long distances to attend,” she said.
Expressing her joy, she prayed for the organisers and encouraged them to extend the outreach to other communities.
“The way they attended to us was so professional and caring. I pray they continue this good work in other areas,” she added.
For Mr. Akinola Ola, the event was not just about treatment but education.
“Apart from the drugs, what touched me most was the health talk. They taught us how to eat better, avoid too much salt, and exercise more. It’s not just about treating sickness but preventing it,” he noted.
He further appreciated the effort of the medical team for communicating clearly and patiently.
“The doctors were patient and kind. They explained things in Yoruba so even our elders could understand. They explained everything in a simple way we could understand,” he said.
Also sharing her joy, Mrs. Kafilat Azeez said It’s not easy to find free medical help these days. “The foundation has done something that many families here will not forget. They didn’t only give us drugs; they also encouraged us to take our health seriously. It’s an act of mercy and humanity,” Mrs. Azeez added.
