The Standing Committee on Policy Implementation (SCOPI) of the Nigerian Medical Student’s Association popularly (NiMSA), under the administration of the outgoing president, Webster Jideofor Onuorah and the SCOPI Director for the 2021/2022 tenure – Elekwachi Victor – led a series of outreach project at various institutions in the country, of which the Association of Medical Student, University of Lagos (AMSUL) was one of the hosts.
The Nigerian Medical Student’s Association popularly known as NiMSA, is a student, non-profit organisation of all medical students in Nigeria, irrespective of their nationalities. The organization is known for its impact through campaigns, outreaches and important activities on climate change, preventing maternal mortality, medicine and politics, medical students for literacy awards, world oral day, NiMSA Games and so on. The organization ranks and functions through its regional directorates across the 6 geographical zones, its General Assembly, about 10 Standing Committees and 9 Executive Council.
The Standing Committee on Policy Implementation (SCOPI), which is one of the functional Standing Committees across the different medical institutions in Nigeria, works for policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation of global health issues affecting the nation.
Just like other national and global Institutions, this NiMSA-SCOPI AMSUL Immunization project activity was assigned to commemorate the 2022 World Immunization Week, themed “Long life for all” #Vaccines4Life. This was aimed at supporting and protecting people and their livelihoods from infectious, vaccine-preventable, and chronic diseases via implementation of vaccination programs and improving equitable access to #Vaccines4Life. Hence their subtheme; “The role of primary health care services in life expectancy”.
Although the project was initially scheduled for 7th of May 2022, it was indefinitely postponed due to the recalcitrant Academic Staff University Union (ASUU) strike that led to students been sent home across all tertiary institution. However, after seven months of staying at home, school resumed formal activities, and the program was executed on the 10th of December 2022, at No. 44, Akodu street, Mushin, Lagos.
The project team lead – Hafsat. I. Inuwa, the NiMSA-SCOPI Liaison Officer for AMSUL – shared that she took up this project as a challenge to impact young people, the elderly and deliver vaccination to the residents of the Mushin Community. She clearly stated that her mission was to render free services of vaccinating and enlightening the populace about COVID-19 vaccines, routine immunization against Measles, Yellow fever, Rota virus; as well as offering free screening services for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS among people who are 50 years old and above in the community.
Furthermore, she applauded her team for a good job well done. Despite the challenges of time, distance, and resources; she highlighted that the project was still executed successfully and considered one of the best, and the first of its kind for AMSUL towards SCOPI. Emphasizing that it took a great deal of courage, perseverance, resilience, passion and dedication from her and the entire team to complete this project and achieve their vision for the people and society at large.
A total of 104 people was reached by this project. Likewise, appreciation was extended to organisations that sponsored the outreach, which are Payless Afrique Restaurant, C-Way Water Company, Ansar-Ud-Deen Lagos Branch Society, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria Lagos State Branch (MWAN Lagos), Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) and the Surulere Constituency.
Editor’s note:
This report was collated by our correspondent, the project team led, and some of her recognised team members; Omobukola Peter, Habeeb Abdulsalam, Ade-ife Oyewole, Christiana Omelazu, Apata Tofunmi, Omotayo Joshua, Paul Ologunja, Jimoh Abubakre, Oluwole Precious, David Oladiran, Odofin Bolaji, Munirat Lawal, Ireoluwa Oluwatumibi, Christopher Ayooluwa, Orina Deborah, Olayinka Oladipo, Andrew Egonte, Abdul-azeem Owodunni, Hameed Adeyemi among others.
