Helpster Charity US Inc., an international nonprofit organization based in the United States, recently conducted a medical outreach in Nigeria as part of its mission to provide healthcare access to underserved communities in Africa and Asia. This marked the organization’s seventh outreach effort in Nigeria, which took place on September 28, 2024, in Ajegunle, one of Lagos’s largest slums with a population exceeding 500,000. The area is situated between Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port.

The medical team consisted of two doctors, two nurses, and two laboratory specialists who focused on health education, screening, and treatment of common illnesses, as well as deworming. Dr. Perpetua Mbanefo, Helpster’s Country Manager and leader of the outreach team, highlighted the importance of these efforts in providing essential healthcare to remote communities that face significant challenges due to economic hardships.

Dr. Mbanefo pointed out that limited healthcare access remains a pressing issue in Nigeria and other African and Asian nations with high poverty rates, which severely impacts underprivileged children’s ability to receive necessary medical care.

“In addition to facilitating access to essential medicare for those in need—particularly children, pregnant women, and young adults—Helpster employs crowdfunding technology to bring healthcare services to the communities that critically require them,” she explained.

Dr. Mbanefo reported a strong turnout at the event, stating that approximately 200 individuals, including both children and adults, were screened and treated for ailments such as malaria, malnutrition, skin infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, and upper respiratory infections. The team also engaged in health education, providing counseling on healthy living. “We are grateful for the support of our volunteers who helped make this outreach possible,” she added. “A special thanks to Pastor David Moses for allowing us to use his church for this program. It’s inspiring to see community members coming together with Helpster to make a positive impact in the lives of those living in poverty.”

Volunteer Benjamin Ekishi praised Helpster for its meaningful initiatives, noting that he was motivated to participate because of the organization’s mission to ensure that no child suffers or dies due to lack of access to vital medical care.

Mrs. Beatrice Nwaka, a parent of one of the beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude to Helpster for organizing the outreach in Ajegunle. She urged other organizations to follow their lead, emphasizing the community’s critical need for such healthcare services.

Helpster launched its medical outreach program in 2023 and has since positively impacted over 4,000 children across Nigeria. In February 2024, the organization partnered with Tunde Onakoya’s Chess in Slums Africa for its sixth medical outreach in Makoko, another impoverished area of Lagos, where over 400 children received treatment.

Founded by a passionate team of IT specialists, Helpster Charity US Inc. aims to bridge the gap in healthcare access by connecting vulnerable children needing essential medical care with individuals willing to support their treatment through its app and website, www.helpstercharity.org.