A community-focused non-governmental organization, Youth on Ground Progressive and Mentorship Initiative (YOG), has raised concerns over the continued burden of malaria and typhoid fever among Nigerians, particularly during the rainy season.
The group made the call in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, where it organized a free medical outreach aimed at bringing essential healthcare services closer to people who may struggle to afford them.
Free screening and treatment
According to YOG Founder and National Coordinator, Dr. Obioma Nwuba, the outreach was designed primarily to address malaria and typhoid through free testing and treatment.
But the programme went further.
YOG also worked with the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) and Knowledge Network for Disease Control and Vigilance (KNCV) to offer screening, counselling and treatment services related to tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, and HIV.
Nwuba said the initiative was particularly focused on rural women and young people, with the broader goal of reducing barriers to basic healthcare.
He noted that the turnout highlighted a problem that can easily remain hidden: people may live with illness for extended periods because the cost of diagnosis and treatment is beyond their means.
A call for earlier treatment
Nwuba urged residents not to dismiss persistent symptoms as routine illness or delay seeking medical attention.
He also appealed to other organizations, businesses and community groups to support free health outreaches, particularly in underserved areas where access to healthcare remains limited.
His message was broader than malaria and typhoid: government cannot carry the entire burden of improving community health alone.
He called on private organizations and civil-society groups to complement government programmes and contribute resources toward the country’s development priorities.
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2,000 people targeted
The Anambra outreach was planned as a two-day programme targeting about 2,000 patients, according to YOG State Coordinator, Hon. Azubuike Okafor.
Okafor said the initiative is part of a wider outreach campaign that began in Abuja and is expected to continue in other parts of Nigeria.
The organization plans to take subsequent programmes to Edo State and Kaduna, with further locations to follow as its resources and operational capacity expand.
The larger goal is straightforward: take preventive care, testing and treatment closer to communities that need them most.