No fewer than 600 residents of the Shagari community in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State benefited from a free medical outreach organized by the American University of Nigeria (AUN) on Saturday, September 6, 2025. The outreach, spearheaded by Prof. DeWayne Frazier, the President of the institution, aimed to provide free healthcare services to vulnerable community members who might not ordinarily be able to afford quality medical care.
The medical mission, held within the Shagari community, featured more than 20 medical practitioners, including professionals from Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (Federal Medical Centre, Yola), the AUN Health Centre, as well as committed students and staff of AUN. Services offered included free consultations, distribution of medications, health education, and the diagnosis of common and chronic illnesses. Residents also received life-saving health advice from medical professionals present at the event.
Speaking during the exercise, Dr. Frazier said the initiative reflected the university’s commitment to social responsibility and its desire to bridge the healthcare gap in underserved communities. “This outreach is about making sure that money is not a barrier to receiving medical care,” Dr. Frazier said. “Healthcare should be universal. It should not depend on how much money you have in your bank account. We are here because we care, and because we believe that showing care for others is the foundation of a stronger society. We want to inspire others to act. We must be the change we want to see.”
He further noted that the AUN community is committed to leading by example in service to humanity, stressing that “nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Head Nurse of the AUN Health Centre, Mrs. Precious Akinbi, described the outreach as both impactful and necessary. “I am happy to be part of this initiative. We are attending to people from our community because they matter. When people know you care about them, it gives them hope to keep moving forward,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajia Aisha Musa, a widow with four children, expressed gratitude for the initiative, saying it saved her family from medical expenses they could not afford. “I came here because my son was coughing seriously and we had no money to go to the hospital,” she explained. “We were given drugs and advice for free. This means a lot to me. May Allah reward all those who made this possible.”
The outreach is one of several community development initiatives championed by AUN under Dr. Frazier’s leadership, reflecting the institution’s philosophy of a “Development University” and its mission to apply knowledge in solving real-world problems.
Report by Pwagreno Blessing Moris