The Managing Director of Custos Care Foundation, Mrs Blessing Egodi Igwe, has noted that untreated high blood pressure is often responsible for sudden deaths sometimes wrongly attributed to spiritual attacks, underscoring the need for regular health screening.
Mrs Igwe made the assertion during a large-scale free medical outreach organised by the Custos Care Foundation, founded by the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs Nkechinyere Iheoma Mbah, to provide essential healthcare services to thousands of women and girls at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.
Drum Africa gathered that beneficiaries received a wide range of healthcare services, including blood pressure checks, blood sugar and diabetes screening, HIV/AIDS testing, malaria testing, hepatitis B screening, and eye screening and consultations, as well as free medications, with eyeglasses also being provided to mothers with vision challenges.
Mrs Igwe said that the outreach also highlighted the importance of routine health checks, citing the case of a woman whose blood pressure reading was 199/105, a dangerously high level, despite the patient feeling physically well.
The woman, according to her, was immediately placed on medication and advised on continuous monitoring, noting that untreated high blood pressure is often responsible for sudden deaths sometimes wrongly attributed to spiritual attacks, underscoring the need for regular health screening.
Igwe said the initiative was designed to prioritise the health and well-being of women, who often neglect their own health while caring for their families.
“As the backbone of society, women frequently prioritise the well-being of others above their own. This intervention ensures that they receive the care and medical attention they deserve,” she said.
Participants were first attended to by nurses who checked their vital signs before proceeding to laboratory tests. They were subsequently examined by doctors who prescribed medications, which were dispensed free of charge at the pharmacy.
Patients with eye-related conditions were attended to by optometrists and opticians who conducted eye examinations and provided eyeglasses and medications where necessary.
The outreach recorded a remarkable turnout, with hundreds of women receiving medical attention and 230 pairs of eyeglasses distributed to beneficiaries requiring vision support.
Drum Africa gathered that the Custos Care Foundation (CCF), under its flagship Expanded Mama Care Initiative (EMCI), uses the outreach to form part of activities marking the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration.
Custos Care Foundation, which focuses on uplifting underserved communities through targeted humanitarian and social interventions, sought to bridge a gap by providing comprehensive and accessible healthcare services to women.
The Expanded Mama Care Initiative, a legacy programme of the Custos Care Foundation, is built on four key pillars: healthcare access, nutrition and wellness, safe pregnancy and delivery, and postnatal and child care.
The Custos Care Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to improving the well-being of women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups through impactful 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.
