Communities like this are not only unpopular among residents of Lagos but also underserved by the local and state governments. Sagbokoji is one of such many communities. Sagbokoji is an island right within Apapa, located in Amuwo-Odofin local government area of Lagos state.

Sagbokoji suffers a poor healthcare system, as only one ill-equipped Primary Health Care Center services at least five other neighbouring communities. The people of SagboKoji have to travel a long distance before they can reach quality healthcare. Unfortunately for the people of Sagbokoji, their story doesn’t end there but gets worse as the people have little or no access to potable clean water. With a poor waste disposal system and even more alarming, an open defecation system, the community is prone to water-borne diseases. This island is far from achieving sustainable development goals 3 and 6; good health and wellbeing, and clean water sanitation respectively. Consequently, Communal Health Support Scheme (CHSS) has decided to step in as not only an advocate for these people who have unheard voices but also philanthropically strengthen their health system. In December 2019 CHSS will be going to Sagbokoji, attaining SDG3 and SDG6 in Sagbokoji.

CHSS is a youth-led, volunteer-based organization that depends solely on technical skills from volunteers, funds and resources from donors all across various industries. So far, CHSS has partnered with Cowrywise, creating a Savings Circle to fund this project of Discovering SagboKoji and is currently sourcing for more funding options at DoGoodAfrica to make easy and quality healthcare accessible to the people of Sagbokoji island.

CHSS will be equipping and remodelling the community’s Primary Health Care Center, ensuring that the community has access to an effective and efficient patient-centred healthcare service. CHSS will also be improving the community’s hygiene, providing access to clean water by building a borehole in between the community’s Primary Healthcare Center and the community’s primary school and achieving Goal 6 of the SDGs. Furthermore, CHSS aims to deliver a medical outreach, screening and testing members of the community for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Most importantly, CHSS is empowering and enlightening Sagbokoji community on consumer rights and their responsibility for health.

All these actions planned out by Communal Health Support Scheme can only be achieved through a collective effort and concerted action of the CHSS tribe, including donors [brands] and volunteers [influencers] to support this project. The movement doesn’t end with the project as CHSS aims to preserve patient information through the innovative method of collating data and uploading on the CHSS’ data portal for follow up and evaluation of the state of the community’s healthcare system.

CHSS believes the overall performance of the Nigerian healthcare system can rise above its current WHO’s ranking of 187 out of 191 member states by dealing with one community at a time.

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