Why hypertension, diabetes endemic in Cross River

What informed your decision to embark on this free medical outreach?We want to ensure that once in a while this association makes provision so that members and their families, relatives and friends are cared for optimally.  We want this to be a tradition. As a result of this, we chose today to carry out this […]

What informed your decision to embark on this free medical outreach?
We want to ensure that once in a while this association makes provision so that members and their families, relatives and friends are cared for optimally.  We want this to be a tradition. As a result of this, we chose today to carry out this medical programme to enable us know how they are fairing.  We want to ensure that illness are detected on time and appropriate measures taken to treat such conditions.  That is why, basically every year despite the fact that we visit nearby communities to carry out this kind of medical programme as part of our societal relevance event yet we still look inward to enhance the health of our members since an adage says ‘charity begins at home’.

You were at Bakoko community, Nassarawa Town Calabar, few months ago, which other community in the state have you been able to extend this medical gesture to?
We were at Akim community in Qua Town, Calabar.  We were at Kasuk in Calabar Municipality. We have been to Bakassi, Akpabuyo LGAs and several other locations in Calabar too even recently at NUJ Press Centre.

Going by your various visits to these communities, what have you discovered to be the most prevalent ailments in those places?
The most prevalent illness still remains infectious diseases, especially malaria.  This is very common. We have been able to treat non-communicable diseases.  These ones too are prevalent because of the lifestyle people are adopting these days. Hypertension, Diabetes, these are very prevalent amongst our people in the communities we have visited. These diseases have become endemic going by the sheer number of people that come out during our community medical services. Majority are affected by these mentioned illnesses.

After diagnosing these illnesses what further actions did you take apart from administering drugs on the spot?
After the check up on the spot which are done free of charge, we give them drugs and we refer them to the medical centres where they will further have expert treatment. And because many members of this association work in some of these government and private medical centres, like general hospital, teaching hospitals,  we ensure that once these identified people get to these hospitals, the procedures are relaxed and facilitated.

Provision of free medical services is capital intensive, how does your association raise the funds to accomplish these?
It is the goodwill of the association. Our members voluntarily make donations in cash and kind. Others donate the drugs. And because some of us are in the medical profession, we therefore liaise with drug companies. The medical outreach we carried out at Bakoko community in Nassarawa town near Calabar, an NGO called Sanofi assisted us to get most of the medical supports to ensure that it was successful. We also supported the event from the purse of the association.

How often does your association embark on these free medical services?
It depends on the situation; it could be done quarterly or yearly.