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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Health, they say, is wealth but, for many ordinary Nigerians, quality medical care remains scarce and difficult to access. With medicine prices and medical equipment increasingly out of reach, many hospitals across the country, residents say, now exist more in name than in function. As a result, people have been pushed toward alternative options such as herbal remedies, unconventional treatments, and religious medical support programmes offered by community organisations.
In Osogbo, Osun State, one of such groups is Daaru-r-Rahmat (DARMAT), a Muslim society organisation that has continued to provide medical assistance to communities, especially through free health checkups and drug support on a weekly basis.
In presenting its annual report, DARMAT lamented that the number of people seeking medical attention every Thursday exceeded what the society could cater for. The group therefore called on government to strengthen its efforts in providing accessible healthcare for citizens.
The Chief Imam and National Ameer of DARMAT, Imam Misbahudeen Olawale, explained that the society could only support about 35 people weekly, even though the need was far higher.
According to him, while DARMAT acknowledged government efforts, the volume of weekly patients coming to the society showed a clear gap in medical services available to the public.
“DARMAT always provides free drugs, including other medical care, addressing different issues related with health and complaints except major cases, which are always referred to the government healthcare centres,” Olawale stated.
The purpose was to provide religious guidance and worship, but the need of people propelled DARMAT’s medical team to attend to a wide range of ailments, including high blood pressure, headache, stomach pain, weakness, vomiting, frequent stooling, high temperature, abdominal pain, body itching, throat irritation, worm infestation, joint pain, indigestion, stomach ulcer, mouth ulcer, ear ache, cough, sleepless nights, loss of appetite, constipation, fainting attacks and childhood convulsions, dysentery, sore throat, nose bleeding, burns or scalds, infertility (primary or secondary), menopausal-related syndrome, bruises and other emergencies
Olawale noted that the society’s health intervention has continued for more than seven years, with an estimated yearly health expenditure of N2,670,000.
Beyond its weekly medical support, DARMAT also conducts wider community health outreach. During a recent four-week free health care programme for community members in Osogbo, the society reportedly targeted 200 people—but ended up attending to over 500 due to high demand.
DARMAT further explained that its initiatives extend beyond clinic services. The organisation said it carries out quarterly DA’WAH visits to correctional facilities to share its goals and provide welfare items for inmates. It also supports selected prisoners with medical bills where financial difficulties are present.
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Other welfare activities include distributing food items to vulnerable persons, providing medical assistance and financial aid to victims of natural disasters, and supporting inmates through visits and engagement.
To respond to rising poverty, DARMAT also organised a halal-focused market to help people trade with minimal interest while encouraging economic support through community kindness.
“We encourage our women to trade every week and the purpose was to show mercy by reducing the price from the market price. Despite the reduction in price, we still discovered that people made millions of naira during the year,” Olawale said.
The group said that in 2025 alone, it spent over N5 million across free healthcare services, scholarships, and other welfare interventions aimed at less privileged Nigerians.
Olawale added that beyond medical support and educational assistance, DARMAT also supports widows, trains women in crafts to reduce dependence on spouses, provides business grants to members and members of the public
He said 38 women benefited from free skill acquisition training in 2025, with all of them empowered with equipment to start their work in fashion designing, hairdressing, tye and dye, among others, while free medical screening and free NECO/WAEC forms were provided to less privileged individuals.
According to him, the scholarship programme produced four graduates, and some beneficiaries of skill training have become self-reliant.
Commenting on the scholarship, an ambassador of the group, Alhaji Abduganiyu Oyeladun, described the actions taken by the society as “the best,” positing that the DARMAT is liberating the society by training people for self-reliance.
He said: “What the society is doing in the area of education intervention is the best and they need encouragement. The possibility of anybody, attending this type of society who are giving education to their children, it will be difficult for any of them to mix with the corrupt society that is involved in cultism or thuggery.
“That is why we look at Islam as a religion that has intervention in providing peace in the environment, curb hooliganism, corruption, banditry and so on,” Oyeladun said.
Imam Olawale expressed gratitude to security agencies in Osun State for providing safety and support for DARMAT’s activities, noting that the group would continue working with them. He also urged well-to-do individuals to support vulnerable people and contribute positively to society.
“As we have established several initiatives that serve as opportunities, welfare support, and guidance for the people,” Olawale said, emphasizing that DARMAT remains committed to helping those in need.
The group’s message is clear: while civil society and religious organisations continue to fill critical gaps, residents insist government must do more to ensure that health services are truly accessible to everyone.
