NMA provides free services to FCT community

The FCT chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) provided medical services to over 1000 people in Chibiri Ward, Kuje Area Council of Abuja as part of activities to mark its 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference.

The Chairman of the FCT chapter of the association, Dr Philips Ekpe, said in Chibiri during the medical outreach that the body chose the community following media reports that people in the area were in dire need of medical attention.

He said the reports indicated that Chibiri community would not accept medical doctors to give them injection, especially when their children were convulsing.

He, therefore, noted that the NMA outreach in the community was to educate the people about their basic health needs and hygiene.

He said “we will also take our report to the FCT Department of Health and Human Services Secretariat so it can beef up primary health care services in the community.”

Ekpe said that the outreach focused on general medical care; the general out-patient department was seeing different ailments such malaria, typhoid fever, hypertension and diabetes.

“The medical team is also carrying out cataract surgery and by the end of the exercise, we are expected to do about 50 surgeries and give the patients glasses.”

He urged health authorities in the FCT to improve services to the community, saying that the outreach recorded impressive turnout.

He, however, noted high cases of malnutrition, ulcer, malaria and hypertension among other ailments in the community.

Dr Eziechila Joseph, an Opthalmic Surgeon and Vice Chairman of the association, said the association would provide cataract and other surgeries to 16 people during the outreach.

Joseph, who led the ophthalmic surgical team, said that of the 16 surgeries, 12 were for cataract, while four were for other growth in the eyes.

While saying that it was the first time the association included surgery in its outreach services, Joseph added that free corrective and other medical glasses would also be given to patients.

Mrs Paul Bawa, a resident of the community, thanked the association for the services, saying her complaints were chest and stomach pain, as well as eye challenge, but that the medical team had diagnosed and gave her drugs.

She said most women and children could not afford such services due to financial challenge.

Alhaji Bagudu Abubakar, the Wakilin Nupawa of Kuje Area Council, who also benefitted from the outreach, commended the NMA for the gesture.

The 2019 NMA AGM has “The Rising Trend of Suicide in Nigeria : A Wholistic Perspective” as its theme.