Our Mission
To provide free/subsidized primary & community health care
To offer health education in rural communities
To carry out free/subsidized medical and surgical outreaches in rural areas
To care for orphans and vulnerable children, by providing free child and adolescent health services
To give health enlightenment and empowerment to rural women
To intervene into harmful traditional health practices
Our Vision
To reach the rural poor of Africa and beyond with wholistic and qualitative health services.
Our Structure
Board of Trustees
Board Members
Management
Team Members
Volunteers
Our Core Values
Commitment
RUCOMEF is dedicated and devoted to ensuring better health care for the rural poor
Competence
We make sure we engage qualified, well trained professionals, who are committed to continuing medical education, in order that our programmes and outreaches are carried out efficiently and effectively.
Care
We are very concerned and interested in the plight of the rural poor; their health needs are of utmost importance to us, so we give it all it takes to attend to their plight.
Compassion
We empathize and are concerned for the sufferings of the neglected rural poor. This serves as a driving force for us, in carrying out our activities
Concern
The health situation of the rural poor is a matter of utmost interest and importance to us.
Character
Moral qualities and ethical considerations play a vital role in the discharge of our duties.
What we do
Health Awareness
Owing to the high level of ignorance about health issues and poor health-seeking behaviour among the rural poor of Africa, RUCOMEF has committed herself to make health education (especially preventive health) and awareness a major part of her activities. This we do through health talks, publications, and documentaries.
Health Advocacy
This encompasses direct service to the individual or family that promotes health and access to health care in communities and the larger public. At RUCOMEF we serve as health advocates for the rural poor. We support and promote the rights of patients in rural communities, help build capacity to improve community health, and enhance health policy initiatives focused on available, safe, and quality care.
Free Medical /Surgical Outreaches
Many rural communities in Africa have very high disease burden and access to health care services is often very poor. When such health facilities are available, they may not be affordable and may lack adequate health personnel. RUCOMEF tries to fill in the gap by offering free medical/surgical outreaches to many rural communities. Thousands of rural patients have had free outpatient medical consultations/ treatment, while hundreds have had free surgeries.
Traditional Birth Attendant’s (TBAs)/Village Health Worker’s (VHWs) Training
Many women in the rural communities deliver at home or with untrained Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). This has been associated with high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. RUCOMEF trains TBAs and VHWs in order to ensure clean and safe deliveries as well as appropriate referrals. Thousands of TBAs have been trained so far.
Community/Women Empowerment
Poverty abounds in many rural communities of Africa and women/ children are often the most hit. In order to help alleviate poverty in rural communities, RUCOMEF has a goal of empowering rural women as well as whole communities in rural areas with skills for better livelihood.
Intervention in harmful traditional health practices
Harmful traditional health practices abound in many rural communities e.g Female Genital Mutilation, child marriages, infanticides etc. RUCOMEF is committed to carrying out appropriate interventions to curb these practices through education and advocacy.
Care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs)
Many children are orphaned and vulnerable to harm in many rural areas owing to several factors related to disease, poverty, and insecurity. RUCOMEF
in partnership with other organizations is committed to caring for OVCs through education, advocacy, rescue, fostering, and healthcare services for such
children.