Lagos begins free health services in councils tomorrow

Organisation offers free medical treatment as JOHESU strike continues
Lagos State Government has said that its yearly free medical expedition programme to offer free treatment for common ailments as well as screening for hypertension, diabetes, eye care and provision of eye glasses, dental care, family planning services, HIV counselling and testing, among others, will kick off tomorrow. 
 
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, in a statement yesterday, noted that the Eko Health Mission programme would hold between May 15 and August 31, 2018 visiting selected local councils and local council development areas of the state.
 
According to Idris, the medical mission team will be visiting selected councils and local development areas for three days each starting at Ajeromi Local Council Secretariat on Tuesday to Thursday, May 15 -17, 2018; Iba Local Council Development Secretariat on Tuesday to Thursday, May 22-24, 2018 and Apapa-Ignamu Local Council Secretariat on Wednesday to Friday, May 30 to June 1, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. daily.“Other councils and local development areas to be visited include Oriade, Lagos-Mainland, Lekki, Ejigbo, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ikosi-Isheri, Ikosi-Ejinrin and Agbado-Oke-Odo,” he said.

The commissioner said the free health mission was embarked upon to serve as alternative source to increasing access to healthcare delivery, especially to the people at the grassroots.
   
Idris, who reiterated the commitment of the state government to the well-being of the residents, urged all residents of Lagos, especially of areas to be visited, to take advantage of the programme and benefit from expert care for common ailments and other free health services, noting that the medical teams providing these services are competent professionals committed to ensuring that the mandate of the state government is fully realised.

In a related vein, Jacco’s Charity International, in collaboration with Catholic Youths of Nigeria Holy Trinity Parish, Maitama, Abuja, yesterday offered free medical services to residents of Gishiri community in Abuja to cushion the effect of ongoing Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) strike.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Founder of Charity International, Ambassador Jodie, said the medical outreach was to support less-privileged persons who could not afford the cost of medical bills.

Jodie stated that the medical services, which comprised of series of tests, malaria treatment, test and treatment of diabetes, vitamins for children not more than five years old, was expected to cover more than 300 people.She appealed to government to do something about the JOHESU strike “so that more people can have access to good and better healthcare services.