Chairman of Eleganza Group of Industries, Chief Rasaq Okoya, on Monday flagged off an eight-day free comprehensive healthcare outreach for 1,500 residents of Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State, as part of activities marking his 86th birthday.
Speaking at the kick-off of the programme, Okoya said the outreach was designed to provide free medical services to at least 150 people daily over the eight days. He added that any beneficiary referred to a general hospital would also have his or her medical bills fully covered.
Explaining why he chose to mark his birthday with a medical outreach, Okoya said good health remains the foundation of a productive life.
“Health is wealth. I want people to be healthy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative was also aimed at promoting the importance of early detection of diseases, stressing that timely diagnosis could help in proper management and prevent premature death.
Buttressing his point with a personal experience, the industrialist disclosed that he was once diagnosed with prostate issues, which were successfully treated because they were detected early.
“I was diagnosed with prostate because it was detected early. I have been able to treat it and I am living healthy afterwards,” he said.
He therefore urged beneficiaries and Nigerians at large to undergo regular medical check-ups, describing early detection as critical to effective disease management.
“I am very grateful to be here. We prayed to God that I will be able to see another birthday and He has made it possible in good health for me. Long life means you have to take care of yourself and just like a car, you need to service your body regularly,” Okoya added.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, commended Okoya for the initiative, noting that the outreach aligns with the THEMES+ agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and underscores the fact that government alone cannot meet all healthcare needs.
Ogunyemi also urged residents to learn from Okoya’s experience, emphasising that early detection is key to preventing diseases from degenerating into life-threatening conditions.
Also speaking, the wife of the celebrant, Mrs Folashade Okoya, said the free medical outreach would become an annual event, encouraging residents to look forward to another opportunity for testing and treatment next year.
She expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government and other partners, including Mecure, for supporting the initiative.
One of the beneficiaries, Tosin Johnson, thanked the Okoya family for the gesture, describing the exercise as impactful and well organised.
“I was attended to by highly committed professionals who listened to me and provided adequate information on how to manage my ailments. I got drugs, eyeglasses and did a series of tests and screenings that would have cost me over N100,000, but I did not pay a kobo,” Johnson said.
She added that, as promised by the celebrant, beneficiaries were also given N10,000 each as transport fare and food allowance, and urged other wealthy Nigerians to emulate Okoya by supporting access to free healthcare for the less privileged.
