Governor Ambode said this while declaring open the 3rd Iju-Ishaga Health Day (IHD), where over 1,500 residents were targeted to benefit from various medical screening and free drugs.
The programme, which took place at Balogun Market in Iju, was organised by National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ifako-Ijaiye branch, in collaboration with Our Friend Specialist Hospital, where people with chronic ailments would be referred to.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdul-Akeem Abdul-Lateef, while speaking at the programme attended by dignitaries, including the Chairman, Lagos State Health Management Board (LSHC), Dr. Adebayo Aderiye; Coordinator, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ifako-Ijaiye, Rt Revd Michael Olusola Adewale Dare; president, Ifako-Ijaiye, Muslim community and co-chairman, NAREC, Abdul Tolib Oriire Eni Olorunda Oyedeji, among others, however, appreciated the initiative brought about by the youth council headed by Comrade Kunle Salami.
Ambode, while welcoming the initiative and commending the leadership of Christians and Muslims and management of Our Friend Hospital for making it a success in Ifako-Ijaiye, described it as a very important programme which signalled the partnership that existed between the state government and members of the pubic.
“In the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the primary essence of government is to safeguard the welfare of the people, it is never to endanger their health and in the spirit of the public and private partnership with the government, communities are encouraged, non- governmental organisations are encouraged to do their best in contributing to the development of the people and the nation.
“This is why we want to appreciate the National Council of Nigerian Youths for bringing this initiative and at the same time, we commend the management of Our Friend Hospital for collaborating with the youth, and collaborating with the the Muslim leaders and Christian leaders, the leadership of NAREC to bring people together to conduct medical tests on people and even give them drugs for free.
“We want to commend you because whoever enhances the happiness of his brother, God will enhance his own happiness. I also thank the security operatives for providing necessary security for this environment,” Governor Ambode said.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman, LSHMB, Dr. Aderiye, hinted that the state government would soon flag off its Health Insurance Programme that would make access to healthcare less expensive in the state, just as he declared that health is wealth and that prevention is not only better, but also cheaper than cure.
Aderiye, who noted that population in the state had continued to expand amidst government’s efforts to enhance health facilities across the state, however, tasked patients to always follow advice offered by their doctors as well as take advantage of assistance as government only cannot do it all.
Speaking on the Health Insurance Scheme, which he said would make healthcare far more affordable in the state, the LSHMB boss added that it would be mandatory and competitive, where everybody would be involved.
According to him, so many agencies will also be involved, assuring that the State Ministry of Health was adequately taking care of everything that would be involved.
“Individual is expected to pay a little sum while government picks up the rest and everything comes cheaper for the patients. That is the whole idea so that everybody has access to health, a situation where the strong pays for the weak, the rich pays for the poor and young pays for the old, that is the essence of the insurance,” Aderiye said.
In his remark, Coordinator of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ifako-Ijaiye, Comrade Salami, stated that the programme was designed to reach out to people, especially the masses that cannot afford the medical facilities.
He applauded the 3rd edition of the initiative, targeted at over 1,500 beneficiaries, saying that the partnership with Our Friend Hospital was aimed at getting those with chronic ailments attended to as they would be referred there for treatment based on doctor’s advice.
Rt Revd Dare and Abdul Tolib Oriire, in their remarks, commended Governor Ambode, saying that both Christian and Muslim communities were in unison in their support for his administration due to delivery of dividends of democracy and were equally praying for him to succeed and also go for a second term in office, come 2019.
“You can see by yourself that many people are here, Muslims are here, Christians are here, even the non-religious, they are here benefiting from this programme and then the programme itself is doing what the governor himself wants. It is assisting the governor in reaching the people.
“The governor is doing a lot and we can say that since the inception of civil administration in Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is second to none. He has performed very well and we are praying for him as the Rt Revd has said, we are praying for him to succeed and for him to do more and we want him for second term. We in the Muslim community and Christian fold, we are praying for him and we want him for second term,” Abdul Tolib Oriire said.
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