KURAMO CLINIC: Pulling expertise against AIDS, ignorance

Article by Akin Jimoh of DEVCOMS, on January 9, 2004

It looks like an ordinary expanse of land. The one-mile stretch of sand gives a refreshing air that seems to go beyond the sharp corner leading to Eko Hotels. Here another seemingly narrow stretch begins. The Bar Beach, Nigeria’s foremost shoreline, used to be a popular spot where condemned criminals were executed, paying the supreme price for their "sins." Now it is perhaps the number one spot for relaxation, religious sanctification and yet all other vices imaginable.

Beyond the prying eyes of the public, across a static lake overlooking the best part of Victoria Island and behind one of Nigeria’s leading hotels is Kuramo Beach, Lagos. Popular for its "smoked fish," Kuramo Beach is that spot where the saint and the sinners do intermingle. And this is where the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) pitched one of its tents.

Kuramo Beach is composed of five villages - Apese, Kuramo, Igbosere, Inupa and Olukotun, with a population of over 15,000 residents living in "shanty" sheds along the beach. The environment reminds you of the old Maroko, a place of abode to the "flotsam and jetsam" of society. Here commercial sex work thrives with clients coming from far and wide. Even girls who have barely come of age are already commercial sex workers (CSWs) in training, sleeping with adults some of who could be their uncles or even grandfathers.

Kuramo Village Clinic came into being to service the needs of the indigent population of Kuramo Beach. Dr. Folasade Ogunsola, the brain behind the project and a lecturer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) commented, "We are interested in how this will affect disease prevention and also in teaching the inhabitants of this area how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. We are also hoping to prepare this place to help us in determining the HIV subtypes that could be included in a vaccine when it comes up."

Dr. Ogunsola stated that, "Kuramo was identified while discussing with a young doctor about a burning desire to work in a community of high-risk female CSWs, and so we came and met with the Pastor about 18 months ago on a Sunday to worship with community members at the church. Then I thought this might just be the place and while we started, we realized we ought to have a family clinic because they needed access to family health care and we are talking with the local government to provide immunization for the people. We are just moving in to do this advocacy about HIV/AIDS and counting the 10-15 thousand villagers." Along with its members, the community has been mapped and all the houses have a clear-cut identification number.

Dr. Ogunsola said the clinic project will also, "provide voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services, conduct research and get a profile of the HIV/AIDS and STDs for the next four or five years and we also want to set up a community association so that the people can take over the clinic. Doctors and nurses are going to be employed and integrated into the program."

And APIN is not alone in a partnership bound to work. In 1999, Pastor Toju Tubi started a branch of Nigeria’s fastest growing church at Kuramo. "Our initial focus was to evangelize," says Tubi, but a school was started shortly after in October 2000. Hitherto, the children in the community had a routine…wake-up, eat, and play. To them education was not a priority.

On realizing the vices in the community Tubi decided to start the "mission impossible," to reform the entire village community. "We had three main objectives: teach the Christian doctrine; ensure that children in the community have access to education; and prevent vices. Christianity has to do with giving to change people’s lives. And we believe educational opportunity takes precedence in ensuring a bright future for the children. The pre-school and primary school is open to all, and we don’t discriminate against any religion so far you reside in this community."

At the onset, the school was absolutely free relying only on resources from the church and friends. There were five teachers to about 250 kids in four levels comprising of kindergarten and primary one to four. But at one a point, Tubi says, "we could not continue funding the school. We had to let go of four teachers and close the school temporarily. Then a doctor friend linked us with Dr. Ogunsola who introduced us to the work of APIN. The Kuramo Clinic is like a dream come true. And we are re-energized to move on with all we have planned in the past."

Kuramo Clinic was opened on November 8, 2003, by APIN’s Director, Phyllis Kanki, and the paramount chief at Kuramo in the company of other APIN team members, community leaders, and political representatives.