Dr Mufutau Bioku has called on Federal Government to introduce Universal Health Insurance Coverage for Nigerians who cannot afford adequate medical care.
Dr Bioku made the call at the weekend in Abuja at the flag-off of the second edition of the free medical check-up programme of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA), Abuja chapter.
While informing that universal health insurance coverage is the best practice the world over and that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has been clamouring for it, the surgeon submitted that with it Nigerians would be able to go for checkups with a view to detecting earlier if there were any issues with their health.
“The NMA has been championing universal health coverage in Nigeria. If everybody is covered by insurance, annually you can go to the hospital for medical check-up. That is how is done elsewhere,” Bioku said.
He, however, admonished Nigerians who are 40 Yeats and above to take issues relating to their serious with a view to avoid health challenges.
He urged men to always go for screenings for prostate cancer, diabetes, heart condition, while women should be screened for breast cancer, which said was common in this clime.
“Any Nigerian above 40 years, male for instance must be screened for prostrate cancer, diabetes, heart condition. They are very important.
“Same thing for women. You need to be screened for breast cancer. Breast cancer is common in this part of the world,” Bioku, who is also a UNIFEMGA member, advised.
While flagging off the free medical check-up, the Abuja chapter Vice President of the association, Alhaji Yusooph Oriyomi, informed that the exercise was being fully funded by the association to enable members and their families to know their health status.
According to Oriyomi, health was wealth and as such UNIFEMGA took the health of its members serious with a view to ensuring that they knew their health status and taking care if any identified challenges.
“We all know health is wealth and as an association, we take the health of our members seriously. That is why we annually organise the free medical check-up so that members will know more about their health status and also take care of the challenges if the results identified them.
“You will agreed with me that we are living in a very challenging time,we had lockdown, economic issues, security challenges,the issues are all over. The impact is not only peculiar with Nigeria; it impacts not only in the physical wellbeing but also the mental wellbeing and that is why as an association, we conduct the medical check up on a regular basis,” he said.
The vice president informed that the free medical check up covered X-ray, scan, blood samples and mammography and charged members to adequately take advantage of the exercise with a view to living a healthy life.
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