Thousands of women and girls in Enugu benefited from a large-scale free medical outreach organised by the Custos Care Foundation as part of activities marking the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration.
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The outreach, held on Saturday at Michael Okpara Square, was implemented under the Foundation’s flagship Expanded Mama Care Initiative (EMCI) and aimed at improving access to essential healthcare services for women across the state.
The Custos Care Foundation, established by the First Lady of Enugu State, Nkechinyere Iheoma Mbah, focuses on supporting underserved communities through humanitarian and social intervention programmes.
Speaking during the outreach, the Managing Director of the Foundation, Blessing Egodi Igwe, said the initiative was designed to prioritise the health and wellbeing of women who often overlook their own health while caring for their families.
According to her, the medical intervention was intended to close the gap in access to quality healthcare by providing comprehensive services to women at no cost.
“As the backbone of society, women frequently prioritise the well-being of others above their own. This intervention ensures they receive the care and medical attention they deserve,” Igwe said.
Beneficiaries received a wide range of medical services including blood pressure checks, blood sugar and diabetes screening, HIV testing, malaria testing, hepatitis B screening, eye examinations and medical consultations. Free medications were also provided.
The outreach followed a structured medical process where nurses first checked participants’ vital signs before laboratory screenings were conducted. Doctors subsequently examined patients and prescribed medications which were dispensed free of charge at the pharmacy section.
Participants with vision challenges were attended to by optometrists and opticians who carried out eye examinations and provided corrective eyeglasses and medications where necessary. A total of 230 eyeglasses were distributed to beneficiaries.
Medical experts at the event also emphasised the importance of routine health checks. One case highlighted during the outreach involved a woman whose blood pressure reading was 199/105, a critically high level, despite the patient feeling physically healthy. She was immediately placed on medication and advised on continuous monitoring.
Health professionals noted that untreated high blood pressure is a leading cause of sudden deaths often wrongly attributed to spiritual causes, stressing the need for regular screening and early medical intervention.
The Expanded Mama Care Initiative, a key programme of the Custos Care Foundation, is built on four pillars: healthcare access, nutrition and wellness, safe pregnancy and delivery, and post-natal and child care.
The Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to improving the wellbeing of women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups through sustained social interventions.
“This International Women’s Day, we are not just celebrating women; we are investing in their health, strength and future,” the Foundation stated.