Lagos, Nigeria — No fewer than 242 inmates at the Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre, Apapa, benefited from a comprehensive medical and mental health outreach organised by the Headfort Foundation for Justice on Thursday.
The Programmes Manager of the foundation, Mrs. Oluwakemi Adenekan, disclosed this to journalists, noting that the initiative was designed to address critical health challenges affecting inmates, many of whom are unable to access adequate medical care.
Adenekan explained that the outreach became necessary after the organisation discovered that several inmates were missing court appearances due to ill health and limited healthcare services within the correctional facility.
“We offer pro bono legal services for indigent inmates, and in the course of our work, we realised that some could not appear in court because they were indisposed,” she said. “This informed our decision to expand our intervention to include medical outreach.”
According to her, the programme provided a wide range of services, including medical consultations, vital signs checks, laboratory tests, and the distribution of medications.
Beyond physical healthcare, the outreach also incorporated mental health support, with professionals engaging inmates on coping strategies and offering counselling sessions to help them manage the psychological stress associated with incarceration.
Adenekan said the combined interventions—medical consultations, health screenings, drug dispensation, and mental health services—reached a total of 242 inmates.
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She commended the foundation’s medical volunteers, staff, and partners for their dedication, emphasising that their collective efforts ensured the success of the outreach.
Reaffirming the organisation’s commitment, Adenekan stated that the Headfort Foundation for Justice would continue to provide holistic support to inmates through legal, medical, and psychosocial interventions aimed at improving their overall welfare and access to justice.
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