Needs Assessment Report on the Proposed NAS Medical Outreach to Less Privileged Communities in Imo State for the 49th National Convention of the National Association of Seadogs.
Executive Summary
This needs assessment report is a compendium of information gathered and insights gained during several fact-finding missions by a dispatch team from Samba Matanga Deck to four autonomous communities in the Owerri area of Imo State. The communities include Orji, Umuori, and Umuoba, all in Owerri North Local Government Area, and Orogwe in Owerri West Local Government Area. This scoping mission is in furtherance of plans for the execution of a medical outreach program targeted at an identified disadvantaged community in the state. The aforementioned communities belong to the category of areas that have little or no government-allocated presence and developmental impact and that are also burdened by sundry diseases and infections.
The prevalent diseases, injuries, and maternal and child health issues reported at the various communities include, but are not limited to, malaria fever, enteric fever, upper respiratory infections, mycobacteria/fungal infections and infestations, communicable and chronic noncommunicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, acute viral illnesses, arthritic conditions, and upper/lower gastrointestinal tract diseases.
The planned medical outreach will address the most pressing
health challenges faced by the selected community and its environs, with particular focus on providing free medical screening, free clinical consultations, diagnosis, and treatment/management of the identified diseases.
Background
NAS Medical Mission has, as one of its core objectives,
The extension of medical assistance to the communities in the locality that hosts the annual convention of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity). This scoping mission provides the association with the relevant information and insights, which will guide robust preparations for the medical outreach proper.
For this particular undertaking, the Orogwe community was selected as the ultimate beneficiary of this year’s medical outreach. Orogwe is a peaceful community located along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State. The approximate coordinates are 5.53925 degrees N, 6.98093 degrees E. Orogwe has a population of over nine thousand people, mainly low-income earners and farmers. The community quarters include both indigenous people and people from other ethnic extractions.
Problem Statement
Of the four communities that were visited and which were assessed based on the availability of basic health and government-sited infrastructure, the prevalence of infectious disease, and poverty, Orogwe was selected. The high prevalence of disease conditions and other identified sanitary issues will be at the forefront of the medical mission’s interventionist agenda.
Methodology
The research method employed for this needs assessment is purposive sampling, which involved a series of interviews with community leaders and gatekeepers. The local NAS Medical Mission team went to the different communities that were suggested, and the visit to the Orogwe community revealed the most valuable parameters that made the community the choice for the NAS Medical Mission.
Health Needs Assessment
The health status of the community dwellers is quite dismal. The population of the community is around 9000 low-income-earning artisans and farmers. The community quarters both the Orogwe indigenes and people from other parts of the country—Efik/Ibibio, Hausa/Fulani, Yorubas, and other ethnic extractions. There are different religious and non-religious practices and beliefs within the community.
The prevalent diseases, injuries, and maternal/child health conditions reported in the Orogwe community include the following: Malaria fever, enteric fever, upper respiratory infections, mycobacteria/fungal infections and infestations, communicable and chronic noncommunicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, acute viral illnesses, arthritic conditions, and upper/lower gastrointestinal tract diseases. Other conditions include dental caries, gingivitis, myopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, and other refractive conditions.
The community has a primary health center, as well as other small, privately owned orthodox and non-orthodox health facilities left to cater for the teeming population.
Infrastructure Needs Assessment
The community lacks basic infrastructure such as pipe-borne water, a standard health facility, and proper sewage management. Being that it is a rural community that is fast turning urban without concomitant infrastructural development despite the growing population, the need for the provision of the above amenities cannot be overemphasized.
Socioeconomic Needs Assessment
Food security is a major issue, with many residents reporting insufficient land access for subsistence agriculture, a jolting departure from the past when they had fallow farmlands. For economic reasons, a lot of their lands have been sold to building developers. Inhabitants are left to buy daily food items at exorbitant costs, leading to worsening malnutrition.
Target Area and Beneficiaries
The NAS medical mission will target residents (indigenes and tenants) of the Orogwe community. Pregnant women and the elderly will be given priority for first service.
Goals of the Project
One of the primary goals of this NAS medical mission is to improve the health and well-being of the Orogwe people.
The specific objectives include
* To reawaken their health consciousness
* To increase their health-seeking behaviours
* To raise their awareness of health risks within their environment.
The mission shall, among other things, screen the beneficiaries for common disease conditions after triage by qualified healthcare workers. This will include:
– Vital signs (Temperature, Pulse rate, Blood pressure, Respiratory rate, SPO2)
– Point-of-care laboratory investigations such as fasting or random blood sugar tests, malaria parasite rapid diagnostic tests, retroviral screening, and viral hepatitis serology tests.
The mission will:
* Provide treatment for minor surgical conditions with free administration/prescription of medications and prompt referral to appropriate facilities where necessary.
* Distribute other essential medical needs and prescription glasses for those so identified.
* Provide basic and essential health education to promote long-term well-being within the community.
Expected Outcomes
* Improved access to medical care
* Increased awareness and early detection of prevalent health conditions
* Distribution of medications and healthcare supplies to those in need
* Improved dental health
* Improved vision and reduction in vision-related accidents
* Enhanced health literacy and awareness among the beneficiaries and the community at large.
Approach
1. Free health education/health talk on the symptoms and signs of common ailments.
2. Free medical triage of beneficiaries to identify those who have urgent, critical, or emergency needs by qualified healthcare workers.
3. Free medical screening of beneficiaries by laboratory scientists.
4. Free medical consultations by qualified medical doctors, dentists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, physiotherapists, and clinical psychologists.
5. Essential consumables and medication distribution by pharmacists.
6. Referrals and post-outreach follow-up.
Monitoring and Evaluation
1. Baseline and Endline Health Surveys: Surveys will be conducted to measure health improvements before and after the outreach.
2. Tracking Consultations and Diagnoses: Detailed records will be maintained for consultations, diagnoses, and medications distributed.
3. Beneficiary Feedback: Regular feedback from beneficiaries will be collected to assess the impact of the medical services and address any unmet needs.
Conclusion
The needs assessment conducted in the Orogwe community highlights the basic and urgent gaps in healthcare, particularly in terms of inadequate medical care. Addressing these needs is essential for improving the living conditions and overall well-being of the inhabitants of the Orogwe community. The NAS free medical outreach will represent a crucial step towards addressing the healthcare challenges faced by the Orogwe community dwellers.