MRS.FLORENCEAjImObI

What inspired you to start up the Access to Basic Medical Care Foundation?

My inspiration to begin ABC Foundation stemmed from a long-held desire to help those in dire need which has always been a passion of mine right from the onset. However, the focus on health care came about after a chance visit to a tertiary health institution where I came across individuals who could access health care but not afford it and because of this, were denied treatment.

The affordability of health care is a major deterrence to a lot of people. Many ailments when discovered promptly can be managed or rectified at low cost. However, this is not the case when an illness is allowed to develop over time instead making cost of treatment higher and full recovery not guaranteed.

I have realised that people are so resilient; we women have so much strength and courage in the face of adversity. Working with breast cancer patients has made me realise the importance of screening; early detection saves lives. We cannot emphasise this enough, the key to survival is early detection and treatment.

That’s where the idea of providing access to basic medical care at no-cost came about. The objectives of the foundation are clear-cut; our vision is to ensure every individual has access to free, quality primary health care and subsidised cancer-screening services. How is the program run?

The Access to Basic Medical Care Foundation was incorporated in November 2011 and began operations with five primary health clinics in March 2012, so we have been in operation for over five years and counting. At ABC we utilise a two-pronged approach to achieve our objectives as a Foundation, which are: the provision of free primary health care and cancer prevention services.

The medical services in our 11 primary health care clinics in Oyo State are free of charge i.e. consultation and drugs are administered at no cost. Our cancerscreening programme is made up of free and highly subsidised screening services. For example we conduct free cervical cancer screenings every month in one of our primary health centres, we also conduct free clinical breast examinations, as well as breast mammography and breast scans all at highly subsidised rates. Additionally, we conduct free medical outreaches independently and in collaboration with other NGOs and Civil Service Organisations (CSO), all this is done in a bid to ensure a healthier Oyo State for all. Since inception of services in 2012, over 300,000 individuals; men, women and children have benefitted from our programmes thus far.

ABC also has a diagnostic centre, which provides screening and diagnosis at subsidised rates. The revenue generated is used to fund the activities within our primary health clinics.

In addition to all our clinical activities the foundation recognises the need to help develop the leaders of tomorrow in the shape of our children. To this effect ABC helps vulnerable children, children whose basic rights have been deprived which include the right to be educated, protected, have safe shelter, basic health care, healthy food and also psychosocial support. In ABC, we have identified such children using the national vulnerability index as a criterion to place them in our facility and ensure that they have access to all they rightfully deserve by law. What do you see as the biggest challenges in combating breast cancer and how do you see your foundation helping with this problem?

One of the biggest challenges I associate with combating breast cancer is a lack of information. When we go out into communities to talk to the public about cancers - breast cancer in particular, we find that a lot of people assume cancer is an automatic death sentence. In relation to lack of information, people do not know where to get screened, they are not even aware that self-breast examination should be carried out.

Our aim as a cancer advocacy group is to ensure we are passing the correct information across to those who need it the most; we educate, we sensitise and we empower women. By providing the accurate information, by showing women how to examine themselves, by conducting clinical breast examinations we are combating the issue of misinformation. Do you feel the government or private sector should be more involved in providing resources to fight this disease?

Health care delivery in any clime is not something any government can do alone. I believe quality health care at all levels can only be delivered through the government collaborating with other stakeholders and providing a conducive environment for private sector to actively get involved in the health sector. What is your assessment of the present health care system in Nigeria?

I believe the health care system in Nigeria is currently overburdened and for various reasons. For example currently the health situation in the country is going through a transition. While the traditional infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid, diarrhea and HIV/AIDS still persist despite the significant successes recorded by the current ongoing efforts, chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer are becoming more prevalent putting additional strain on the system in place. As a whole, what sets the Access to Basic Medical Care Foundation apart?

ABC is innovative in its approach to health care delivery through its use of technology; for example our technology enables us to remotely monitor patient activity from anywhere in the world, we can monitor ailment patterns in individual local governments. We believe in sustainability and this has been made possible through our business arm of the organisation; which enables us to sustain our free and subsidised health care services. We also have a highly dedicated group of individuals who work tirelessly to ensure our vision of a healthy productive society becomes a reality. How has working with women with breast cancer changed your perception of life?

I have realised that people are so resilient; we women have so much strength and courage in the face of adversity. Working with breast cancer patients has made me realise the importance of screening; early detection saves lives. We cannot emphasise this enough, the key to survival is early detection and treatment. 20