A
team of seven health care providers from the United States were recently on
health mission to Ekiti Central Senatorial District. Their mission was not to
visit Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, where thousands visit annually to have a
glimpse of cold and warm springs that flow from different sources upstream with
each spring maintaining its thermal identity at the meeting point.
Rather, the team, whose visit was facilitated by a lawmaker representing the district, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, was on a health mission to heal the sick.
But the team from United States led by Dr. Abdulrasheed Abassi was not alone, two local doctors worked with them, and their operations defied any preference for political party affiliation.
Abassi told THISDAY that the Ojudu’s first annual free health mission was put together in response to people’s health challenges in the district. Also, the team leader acknowledged that the mission was meant to complement the current health reforms by the state government under the leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
According to him, the rationale was to help bring free health services to the doors of those at the grassroots and those that the government could not readily reach.
Abassi who said low doctor-patient ratio was responsible for inability of governments to reach everyone in many states in Nigeria explained that the challenge of low doctor-patient ratio “is not peculiar to Nigeria.”
According to him, even in the United States, there are places with very low doctor-patient ratio. But local councils will often find a way to mobilise people and educate them either by inviting public health experts or through recorded videos.
But unlike the United States, the team leader noted that the weather in Nigeria “is almost perfect. You have good environment. You eat a lot of organic food. In the United States, we spend a lot of money to get organic foods. But you are fortunate to have cheap organic foods here. The mothers need only to know how to detect dehydration, what to look for where there is a case of malaria and other cases”.
Expectedly, the two-week medical mission afforded 8,000 residents, free health care services and drugs that were administered on them by the visiting team alongside the local doctors.
After touring the five local government areas under the district, it was difficult for the medics to say goodbye. On the last day especially, they worked till dusk and were forced out of the communities by the settling darkness.
Not only were the drugs, especially the ones brought from the United States, dispensed for free; they were discovered to be of superior quality. One of the medics, Mrs. Mary Clayton said some of these benefits were taken for granted in many parts of the United States. “We do not have to think where our next meal would come from or how we pay our rent. We have jobs and our children are nor selling on the street.
“This is my first time and I was not sure what to expect while coming but what I saw made me to be appreciative of what we have in the United States. However, I must say I love the Nigerian spirit. In spite of the people’s poverty, they are still happy and praising God. They were excited to see us. That was very impressive to me. I like this mission. I am happy that I was able to help people and it was pleasing to see African culture
Mr. Adeyemi Olufemi, a beneficiary from Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area explained his health challenge, which he said, had been a source of concern. He said: “I have a swollen neck to the point that I could no longer raise my right arm. My blood pressure was high and could not sleep well. I have spent money seeing doctors and going for laboratory examinations but this problem has defied all medications.”
“The doctors gave me two small tablets. They asked me to swallow one and put the other under my tongue. Within 24 hours, the swollen neck went down, my blood pressure became normal, and I could raise my arm. I used to have blood pressure of 180/110 and was taking drugs daily to manage it. Also within 24 hours, it came down to 140/80.
“These doctors have saved many lives. I was almost crying when I started receiving phone calls from our people, thanking our government for this programme. If I have money to buy drugs and visit hospitals and yet my ailment persisted, what do you think would be the lot of many of our poor and aged people? We have to thank Ojudu and Fayemi. They have shown us the better alternatives than what we are used to. They have raised the bar of governance and we can now even demand for more.”
Another aspect of the mission loved by the people was its non-partisan nature, something alien to Ekiti State’s politics in the previous administration. This point was driven home by Mr. Gbenga Giwa Dada, a PDP member, who claimed to be an in-law of the district’s former senator, Femi Kila, and “did not benefit anything from him.”
Mrs. Juliana Solabo, another beneficiary in Ipoti-Ekiti, urged Ojudu to make the health mission a regular affair.
Abassi who has a deep passion for community work said: “What we often do is to donate to organisations that are interested in health care delivery in Nigeria, like the Goal Foundation. These non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have had a lot of negative experiences trying to help Nigerians. This is why what senator Ojudu has done is commendable. What he has done is not perfect but it’s laudable and we in the diaspora need more of such.”
Ojudu said the programme would hold annually. “We intend to make this an annual event. We also intend to make all our records available to the state government so that we can have a bigger picture of the problems facing our people and find lasting solutions. It is important that we review what we have done and see what lessons could be learnt to facilitate a better free health mission.
“I have also acquired a 40-foot truck which has been converted into a mobile clinic. We will employ health care providers that will be on the mobile clinic moving round the senatorial district to provide free health services, especially on market days.” he said.
Ojudu complained on the quality of drugs available in the country, explaining that there “is something wrong with the medications coming into Nigeria and I will try and discuss these observations with the chairman of senate committee on health.”Sourece: http://www.thisdaylive.com
Rather, the team, whose visit was facilitated by a lawmaker representing the district, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, was on a health mission to heal the sick.
But the team from United States led by Dr. Abdulrasheed Abassi was not alone, two local doctors worked with them, and their operations defied any preference for political party affiliation.
Abassi told THISDAY that the Ojudu’s first annual free health mission was put together in response to people’s health challenges in the district. Also, the team leader acknowledged that the mission was meant to complement the current health reforms by the state government under the leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
According to him, the rationale was to help bring free health services to the doors of those at the grassroots and those that the government could not readily reach.
Abassi who said low doctor-patient ratio was responsible for inability of governments to reach everyone in many states in Nigeria explained that the challenge of low doctor-patient ratio “is not peculiar to Nigeria.”
According to him, even in the United States, there are places with very low doctor-patient ratio. But local councils will often find a way to mobilise people and educate them either by inviting public health experts or through recorded videos.
But unlike the United States, the team leader noted that the weather in Nigeria “is almost perfect. You have good environment. You eat a lot of organic food. In the United States, we spend a lot of money to get organic foods. But you are fortunate to have cheap organic foods here. The mothers need only to know how to detect dehydration, what to look for where there is a case of malaria and other cases”.
Expectedly, the two-week medical mission afforded 8,000 residents, free health care services and drugs that were administered on them by the visiting team alongside the local doctors.
After touring the five local government areas under the district, it was difficult for the medics to say goodbye. On the last day especially, they worked till dusk and were forced out of the communities by the settling darkness.
Not only were the drugs, especially the ones brought from the United States, dispensed for free; they were discovered to be of superior quality. One of the medics, Mrs. Mary Clayton said some of these benefits were taken for granted in many parts of the United States. “We do not have to think where our next meal would come from or how we pay our rent. We have jobs and our children are nor selling on the street.
“This is my first time and I was not sure what to expect while coming but what I saw made me to be appreciative of what we have in the United States. However, I must say I love the Nigerian spirit. In spite of the people’s poverty, they are still happy and praising God. They were excited to see us. That was very impressive to me. I like this mission. I am happy that I was able to help people and it was pleasing to see African culture
Mr. Adeyemi Olufemi, a beneficiary from Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area explained his health challenge, which he said, had been a source of concern. He said: “I have a swollen neck to the point that I could no longer raise my right arm. My blood pressure was high and could not sleep well. I have spent money seeing doctors and going for laboratory examinations but this problem has defied all medications.”
“The doctors gave me two small tablets. They asked me to swallow one and put the other under my tongue. Within 24 hours, the swollen neck went down, my blood pressure became normal, and I could raise my arm. I used to have blood pressure of 180/110 and was taking drugs daily to manage it. Also within 24 hours, it came down to 140/80.
“These doctors have saved many lives. I was almost crying when I started receiving phone calls from our people, thanking our government for this programme. If I have money to buy drugs and visit hospitals and yet my ailment persisted, what do you think would be the lot of many of our poor and aged people? We have to thank Ojudu and Fayemi. They have shown us the better alternatives than what we are used to. They have raised the bar of governance and we can now even demand for more.”
Another aspect of the mission loved by the people was its non-partisan nature, something alien to Ekiti State’s politics in the previous administration. This point was driven home by Mr. Gbenga Giwa Dada, a PDP member, who claimed to be an in-law of the district’s former senator, Femi Kila, and “did not benefit anything from him.”
Mrs. Juliana Solabo, another beneficiary in Ipoti-Ekiti, urged Ojudu to make the health mission a regular affair.
Abassi who has a deep passion for community work said: “What we often do is to donate to organisations that are interested in health care delivery in Nigeria, like the Goal Foundation. These non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have had a lot of negative experiences trying to help Nigerians. This is why what senator Ojudu has done is commendable. What he has done is not perfect but it’s laudable and we in the diaspora need more of such.”
Ojudu said the programme would hold annually. “We intend to make this an annual event. We also intend to make all our records available to the state government so that we can have a bigger picture of the problems facing our people and find lasting solutions. It is important that we review what we have done and see what lessons could be learnt to facilitate a better free health mission.
“I have also acquired a 40-foot truck which has been converted into a mobile clinic. We will employ health care providers that will be on the mobile clinic moving round the senatorial district to provide free health services, especially on market days.” he said.
Ojudu complained on the quality of drugs available in the country, explaining that there “is something wrong with the medications coming into Nigeria and I will try and discuss these observations with the chairman of senate committee on health.”Sourece: http://www.thisdaylive.com
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