Oju Medical Intervention

Oju Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State is 'food production' hub, also rich in mineral deposits such as limestone and bauxite, with a vibrant population of over 170,000 people, seating on a land area of 780 square kilometres. Unfortunately, residents of Oju LGA rely on the mission hospital, located in Ikachi and it takes an average of two (2) hours of walking on foot to reach from most communities; due to rugged geographical landscape & lack of roads (causing difficulty transporting the sick), and mass youth migration to big cities in search of better life, leaving behind the aged and children without caregivers & lack of healthcare services; also, the state chapter of Nigeria medical Association (NMA) and the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) are on strike further crippling healthcare provision: leading to more deaths, higher mortality rates, diseases prevalence so that over 95% population of poor farmers and residents result to using traditional medicine to meet their healthcare needs.

Oju Medical Intervention (OMI) program’s aim is to physically take professional medical services by improving access to hard-to-reach people and communities, treat the sick, train Health Worker (HWs) and promote health education to marginalized Oju LGA population which is the ‘food production hub’ through our medical-outreach- to reach an estimated 2,000 people through medical hubs that will operate 4-days medical clinics, with possibility of several other such visits within 12 months period. OMI program objectives are; i) provide access to general and specialist medical services, (including screening & profiling for general surgeries (e.g. gynecological, orthopedic, ENT) referrals for more critical care initiate to higher hospital, ii) reduce mobility and raise awareness of causes of mortality from NTDs and other treatable diseases, iii) provide and promote health education building local capacities of trained health workers for sustainable services delivery.