PHOTOS: Oyo state YALI Network Brings Free Healthcare to Over 230 Residents at Ojoo Terminal, Ibadan
Young African Leaders Initiative, YALI Network Oyo State, a youth-led non-profit has delivered free, comprehensive healthcare services to more than 230 people at Ojoo Terminal, Ibadan, as part of its YALI Health Bridge Comprehensive Medical Outreach.
Held under the theme “Ìlera Lọ́kọ̀ọ́kan, Ìdàgbàsókè Lápapọ̀, Healthy Individuals, Prosperous Communities”, the outreach was designed to close a familiar gap for the market traders, commercial drivers, artisans, security personnel, and other daily-income earners who keep Ojoo Terminal running.
It was targeted towards a single day away from work to see a doctor, to reduce the cost of consultations, tests, and medication that can place routine healthcare permanently out of reach.
Newsarena.ng reports that YALI Network Oyo State set out to bring that care to them, rather than waiting for them to find their way to a clinic.
Originally targeting 200 beneficiaries, the outreach reached 234 people, representing 117% of its goal and making it one of the organisation’s largest single-day health interventions to date.
According to Israel Alabi, the Oyo State Coordinator, over the course of the day, 227 people received free medical consultations, while health screenings covering blood pressure, blood glucose, malaria, Hepatitis B, HIV, and tuberculosis reached as many as 234 participants.
Alabi said more than 100 people received dental care, ranging from check-ups to scaling, polishing, and two tooth replacements, while 57 others benefited from physiotherapy services including soft tissue massage and EMS/TENS therapy.
“A total of 182 beneficiaries left with free medication worth an estimated ₦278,000, and all 234 participants took part in health education sessions covering preventive care, health insurance enrolment, and when to seek medical attention. 27 beneficiaries were identified through screening as needing further evaluation, for conditions including hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis, and were referred for specialist follow-up.
“None of this would have been possible without the people behind it. The outreach was powered by 52 volunteers and team members, including 36 healthcare professionals spanning medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, dentistry, dietetics, and laboratory science, working alongside an 11-person organising team led by Project Lead Daniel Olufemi and Deputy Team Lead Precious Onose Ebiaku, under the coordination of YALI Network Oyo State Coordinator Israel Alabi and Deputy Coordinator Grace Ishatah.
“The project also drew strength from a number of partners, including Folab Dental Care, Colgate Nigeria, Damien Foundation, APIN Public Health Initiatives, the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, Lynn-Edge Pharmaceuticals, and the Onyinye Mbanefo Foundation, alongside Creavation Consults, Datiol Consulting, Ceart Studios, and Ladimeji Visuals.
“This outreach is proof of something we already believed; that when healthcare meets people where they are, they show up for it. We set out to reach 200 people and ended up reaching 234. That gap between our target and our turnout tells its own story about how much this kind of care is needed.”
“With more than a quarter of beneficiaries requiring referral for further care, YALI Network Oyo State says the outreach reinforced the need for sustained, rather than one-off, intervention.
“The organisation plans to conduct periodic outreaches, strengthen follow-up systems for referred beneficiaries, and deepen partnerships with healthcare institutions and government agencies to extend its reach across Ibadan and beyond.
YALI Network Oyo State is a youth-led non-profit operating under the Young African Leaders Initiative, focused on leadership development, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and community-based programming.
Over the past five years, the organisation has implemented more than 80 community and leadership-focused programmes, reaching over 8,000 people across Ibadan and its surrounding communities.
