Day Lagosians got free health care service

Therefore, the challenge for the government has been to continuously find way of improving the health status of the increasing population.However, the government has said several times that successful primary prevention measures helps avoid the suffering as well as the cost and burden associated with disease, hence it considers a Free Health Mission which covers […]

Therefore, the challenge for the government has been to continuously find way of improving the health status of the increasing population.However, the government has said several times that successful primary prevention measures helps avoid the suffering as well as the cost and burden associated with disease, hence it considers a Free Health Mission which covers the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention activities.

The State Ministry of Health therefore partnered with Health Missions International to conduct a bulk purchase health programme whereby free health care is taken to the doorsteps of its citizens at no cost to the people.

Thus, the government  has carried out such missions in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and other medical professionals like Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (ANPA), to local government areas including Alimosho, Epe, Lagos Island, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and recently, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area where about  20,000 people were screened at each local council area.

 Beneficiaries of the programme are usually people in the locality particularly the elderly, children, youth, nursing mothers and pregnant women who are prone to infections and other diseases related to maternal and child health and who by various reasons cannot access the state health facilities.

Services rendered under this programme include free consultation and treatment for various ailments ranging from eye problem, breast cancer, dental, diabetes and AIDS/HIV screenings as well as surgeries for the repairs of hernias, appendix, abdominal swellings, lumps and gynaecological problems.

 In spite of the public holiday for the nation’s 49th independence anniversary across the country, hundreds of sick people who reside in Lagos and non-residents alike from neighbouring Ogun state; besieged Badore Primary School at Eti-Osa Local Government Area in the state to take advantage of the one- week free health care services programme offered by the government for people in the area

 Some members of the health team who spoke with Sunday Trust at the primary school ground where the medical mission took place, said they were encouraged with the turnout of people.

Although the queue was long when our reporter got to the centre at about 9.30 am, every patient waited patiently as the doctors attended to them. Within two and half hours, the officials had screened about 1,500 patients while dentists has worked successfully on 12 patients in their utility bus.

One of the beneficiaries of the health mission, Mrs Kudirat Salami, a petty trader and resident of Badore who has suffered from eye problem for years was screened and given eye glasses. According to her, she had been coping with the eye problem for years; a situation she said had kept her indoors for a couple of years because she could not afford eye surgery and glasses because of lack of money.

Alhaji Sanni Dauda, a carpenter at Ajah, near Badore said his son suddenly developed eye problem and was going blind. He said after the team treated his son, his sight was restored. The carpenter said a week before the health team arrived the town, information had gone round the local government area to the extent that residents from neighbouring towns in Ogun State came for the free health service.

According to him, people came from Ijebu ode and Shagamu in Ogun State three days before the commencement of the programme. “There are some people who came from Shagamu and Ijebu Ode and they have been sleeping in some of the classrooms in the school to enable them benefit from the programme,” Dauda said.

Miss. Oyindamola Rasaki is one among the youth who was in the queue for HIV/AIDS screening during the programme. She said it had become necessary for her to join her mates because the opinion of the people in the vicinity was that any young girl who shies away from the screening must have HIV/AIDS.

Having been negative after the screening, Oyindamola said this would put her mind at rest, while addressing journalists a day before the final day of the mission, Dr Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health in Lagos State said it was a pity the team could not continue in the area beyond one week. He said the Ministry of Health knew from the beginning that they would have much on their hands because Badore is in the locality.

“We knew we wouldn’t be able to meet Lagosians’ health needs, but we’re happy that we are able to surpass the 20,000 target within the stipulated time,” he stated. According to him, 90 basic surgical operations and treatment of over 1,000 people on dental related problems were carried out. He added that over 5,000 different categories of free drugs were distributed to patients at the mission venue, while over 1, 200 hypertensive patients were treated free of charge.

The Commissioner pointed out that the deployment of the recently procured “Mobile Field Hospital” was to further compliment the objectives of the medical mission, adding that the total package of medical expedition was put together to ameliorate the sufferings of the people at the grassroots as well as enlighten them on good healthcare and prevention.

Speaking on what informed the mission, Governor Babatunde Fashola said, “Lagos state is one of the smallest states in the country but paradoxically it has one of the fastest growing populations and this has inadvertently increased the disease burden of the people of Lagos.

Therefore, the challenge for our administration has been to continuously find ways of improving the health status of the ever increasing population.”