GAIYD Sensitizes Abuja Residents on Protection of Boy Child's Mental Health, Offers Free Medical Test

A non-governmental organisation, Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development (GAIYD) has held its 2025 annual street sensitization in Abuja the nation's capital, with a focus on the improvement of the boy child's mental health. 

With the theme, "Common Mental Health Issues in Boys", the outreach also featured free medical campaign, where medical professionals conducted free health screenings for blood pressure and hepatitis for residents of Abuja. 

Speaking at the sensitization outreach, the founder of GAIYD, Dr. Hillary Akpua, noted that adequate attention has not been paid to the emotional and psychological struggles faced by young boys in the Nigerian society, noting that continued neglect could have long-term consequences for families and society.

“The boy-child has been neglected and it’s high time we started talking about the boy-child. The girl-child is important, but so is the boy-child. If we keep training only the girl-child, she ends up marrying an untrained man and the cycle of imbalance continues,” Akpua said.

Highlighting this year's theme, Akpua lamented the cultural silence around boys’ emotions. “A lot of boys are going through so much but because society tells them to ‘man up’, they bottle things up. That’s dangerous. Mental health is just as important as physical health,” he said.

He added, “It’s better to train a boy than to repair a broken man. Boys need safe spaces to talk, mentors to guide them, and support systems that validate their struggles. This is what GAIYD is committed to building.”

GAIYD has consistently championed initiatives such as community and school sensitizations, drug abuse awareness, and the One Boy, One Skill programme, among others, all aimed at equipping boys with tools for personal and emotional growth.

Dr. Akpua appreciated IGmart Med-Laboratory and Scientific Equipment Limited for providing medical supports. He also thanked Zoom 360, Specialists, Doctors and Nurses, for providing free dental checkup and care at the event.

A Medical Laboratory Scientist and CEO of Kayalte Medicals Limited, Linus Akawo, described the health screening as timely, especially as World Hepatitis Day approaches.

Also speaking, the Team Lead for Zoom 36 Dental Care, Jerry Tersoo, described the collaboration as impactful.

“We attended to 36 patients. Fifteen underwent dental cleaning, while others received consultations and follow-up treatment plans,” he said.

Tersoo noted that Zoom 36, which specializes in a range of oral health services including teeth whitening, implants, and root canal treatments, partnered with GAIYD to promote total wellness among young males.