In line with the global observance of World Health Day 2025, themed “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures; centered on improving maternal and child health”, the Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF) once again affirmed its unwavering commitment to championing the health and wellbeing of Warri Kingdom to the forefront through the 9th edition of the Wuwu Ore Free Medical Outreach which focused on preventive health, education, and community wellness.

Beginning with an effort aimed at tackling parasitic worm infections, a silent but potent threat to child health, particularly in underserved communities, Wuwu Ore 9.0 commenced on Friday, 5 April 2025 at the Warri Central Mosque, where 100 children from the Muslim community received free deworming treatment as part of a holistic wellness intervention. In addition to administering deworming medication, the outreach team engaged parents and children in a sensitisation session on hygiene best practices, helping families understand the power of preventive care in securing stronger futures for their little ones.

Building on the momentum, Wuwu Ore 9.0 continued with a transformative Community Sensitisation Workshop and call to action on Monday, 7 April, drawing over 200 participants, including women, youths, and key stakeholders from across Warri Kingdom.

Raising the banner of “A Drug-Free Warri Kingdom”, the sensitisation workshop tackled the alarming growing scourge of substance and drug abuse, particularly among adolescents, young adults, and mothers, which directly ties to long-term health and wellbeing.

The sensitisation which featured real-life experiences, expert insight into the psychosocial and physiological consequences of substance addiction from keystakeholders such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Warri South Command, the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (Warri Zone), and the Nigerian Scout Association was beyond a show of strength in numbers but a bold stand for truth, transformation, and healing.19