Lagos govt, Healthcare Mission International to conduct free health mission

LAGOS State Government says it will on Friday embark on a free medical mission for the treatment of children as well as screening and advocacy for adults.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Titilayo Goncalves, at a news conference on Thursday in Alausa, said that it would be done in partnership with Healthcare Mission International.

Goncalves said the treatments include dental care, orthopaedic treatment, visual/hearing impairments, surgeries and other common ailments.

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She said that the six-day exercise would take place in seven primary healthcare centres across the state including Lagos Island, Surulere, Badagry, Alimosho, Epe, Ikeja and Ikorodu.

According to her, the exercise is part of the state government’s efforts to improve healthcare among residents and complement various programmes put in place to promote healthy living among them.

Goncalves said the exercise was primarily targeted at children within the age bracket of 0 to 12 years.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, State Primary Health Board, Dr Tayo Lawal, said that no fewer than 1,000 people would be attended to on a daily basis.

Lawal said that no fewer than 21,000 people should have been attended to at the completion of the exercise.

The permanent secretary said the project was also an avenue to create medical awareness among the residents and thanked the Healthcare Mission International for the gesture.

Earlier, the Executive Director, Healthcare Mission International, Mrs Nike Osa, said the effort was necessitated by its belief to assist the less privileged in area of medical challenges.

Osa said though children were the prime target of the programme, adults would be given health talks and screened for tuberculosis and HIV.

“Those found to be positive will be managed using the established channel of treatment of these illnesses,” she said.

Osa said the exercise was an innovative programme meant to help children to be healthy and prepare them for their roles as future leaders.