Six Rotary clubs in Osun State have partnered with the Osun Health Insurance Agency and the Rasaq Akindele Foundation to provide free eye and dental treatments to more than 500 residents of Osun State.
The initiative also includes the distribution of reusable sanitary pads to female inmates in correctional centres and girls in selected secondary schools across the state.
The Coordinator of the Rotary Health Outreach 2026, Rasaq Akindele, disclosed this during a press briefing at Platinum Embassy Specialist Hospital on Monday.
Akindele said the organisers had screened more than 300 people with eye conditions and over 200 with dental problems, adding that beneficiaries requiring surgery would receive treatment free of charge.
He explained that the initiative was inspired by the plight of residents who could not afford treatment for their medical conditions.
“A few months ago, during routine visitations to some eye and dental clinics and also to the Correctional Centre within the state, we were confronted with a painful reality,” he said.
“We saw pain, we saw tears, we saw hopelessness. And as Rotarians, we could not walk away. That encounter gave birth to this project.”
Akindele said the number of people seeking assistance exceeded the organisers’ expectations, forcing them to suspend further screenings to avoid overwhelming the available medical personnel.
He disclosed that some beneficiaries travelled from outside Osun State, including Lagos, Kogi and Ghana, to access the services.
“Out of the over 500 at the screenings, we have about 10 from Lagos State. We have two from Kogi. We have three from Ghana, and we have some from Ibadan,” he said.
The coordinator explained that further examinations revealed that some patients initially considered for surgery required other forms of treatment.
He said about 150 people were initially expected to benefit from eye surgery, but subsequent assessments identified 83 patients with cataracts, of whom 45 had mature cataracts.
According to him, patients with immature cataracts might have to wait until their conditions progressed sufficiently for surgery.
He added that some beneficiaries had pterygium, a condition involving the growth of tissue on the eye, and would also undergo surgery.
Akindele further disclosed that approximately 313 people with refractive errors would receive corrective glasses.
“For those who have refractive error, who will not see properly because they have refraction in their eyes, we have done refraction for them. And then about 313, I think, will be receiving corrective glasses,” he said.
He noted that some patients had congenital conditions, meaning they were born with them, while others developed eye problems through infections, injuries and other causes.
Using the case of a girl initially suspected to have congenital cataracts, Akindele explained that screening revealed she had corneal opacity, a condition that could not be corrected through cataract surgery.
“What she would need is corneal transplant. And it’s not something we commonly have in Nigeria,” he said, explaining that the procedure might require treatment abroad.
He also warned against harmful home remedies for eye conditions, recounting a case in which a patient developed a serious infection after putting urine in the eye.
According to him, laboratory examination revealed bacterial infection, while other patients received medication for conditions that did not require surgery.
Akindele said the organisers had established a post-treatment and follow-up care plan to monitor beneficiaries’ recovery after their procedures.
“Our joy is not just in performing the surgery, but in seeing them see again, smile again, and live again with dignity,” he said.
The medical outreach, scheduled to run from October 12 to 14, includes cataract and pterygium surgeries, corrective glasses and dental procedures such as scaling and polishing, tooth extraction, glass ionomer cement fillings and composite build-up.
Speaking at the flag-off, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Adekunle Akindele, who represented Governor Ademola Adeleke, commended the participating organisations for supporting healthcare delivery in the state.
He said the initiative demonstrated the importance of collaboration between government institutions, philanthropic organisations and service-oriented groups in improving access to healthcare.
“The Government of Osun State is proud to be associated with this initiative and encourages more organisations to embrace similar partnerships,” he said.
The governor’s aide also highlighted the administration’s reported renovation and upgrading of more than 200 primary healthcare centres, alongside the provision of solar-powered electricity and water facilities.
He said the state’s Imole Medical Outreach had benefited nearly 80,000 residents, according to government figures.
Adekunle urged residents to take advantage of the available services and encouraged corporate organisations, foundations and professional associations to support similar humanitarian initiatives.
The maternal hygiene component of the programme will involve distributing reusable sanitary pads to female inmates in correctional centres and girls in selected secondary schools.
The organisers said the intervention was intended to promote menstrual hygiene and protect the dignity and well-being of women and girls.
The participating clubs are Rotary Club of Agbale Ede, Rotary Club of Osogbo Central, Rotary Club of Osogbo GRA, Rotary Club of Oroki Osogbo, Rotary Club of Osogbo Metropolitan and Rotary Club of Osogbo Sunrise.