LG workers, others benefit from Rotary Club free health services

Workers at the Ibadan North West Local Government Council, Onireke were among beneficiaries of a two-day Rotary Club’s Family Health free medical outreach at the Local Council Development to improve the health status of Nigerians at the grassroots.

President, Rotary Club Onireke, Dr Oladapo Agbato, said the local government staff were the club’s target because they were central to the government in reaching people at the grassroots.

Agbato, who stated that the community-based family health week is being celebrated by Rotary Club all over Oyo State, declared that the exercise was decentralised to ensure more people are reached during the programme with free healthcare services.

According to him, “if the people at the local government are not fine, the community will not be fine.  The local government gets across to the last person in each ward, and these workers see them every day and are the focal point to get to the people.

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The Rotary Club’s community-based family health week, which has been in existence since 2011, he said had attended to over 1.2 million people because its activities were decentralised to ensure it reached different localities.

Agbato said the outreach aside providing health talks, treatment for diseases such as malaria and those individuals who need further treatment for such diseases as tuberculosis and high blood pressure would be referred to the appropriate health facilities for adequate care.

The outreach, aimed at reaching at least 200 people with medical services and screening, he said would also offer free sanitary pads as well as subsidise the cost of treatment of patients who require extra care in other health facilities.

He added, “Rotary Club is about the development of the world; bringing the world peace; disease eradication; mother and healthy child, and peace and conflict resolution. These are things that we are committed to doing and  we will not relent.”

Primary Healthcare Coordinator, Ibadan North West Local Government, Mrs Abimbola Adedigba, stressed the importance of creating awareness on good health, especially at the grassroots, to increase the country’s productivity.

Adedigba, who called for increased human and material resources for healthcare, especially at the local government level,solicited increased support for the government in its effort to make quality health available to all.