By Paul Mchael, Defence Editor, Abuja
The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi on Thursday said the healthcare of the poor masses is a top priority of the corps, adding that the NSCDC will continue to partner organisations to bring healthcare to the grassroot people at no cost.
Dr. Audi stated this while delivering a speech during a two-day medical outreach organized by the NSCDC Medical Unit at Lea Primary school/Iddo Sabo Bobota community in Abuja, to commemorate the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO) day slated to hold on March 1, 2022.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Audi, who was represented by ACG Crisis Management Department, Pedro Awili Ideba, said the NSCDC is one of the 60 members of the ICDO. Adding that the primary goal of the international organization is to manage disaster, hence, the focus on the basic health needs of the grassroot people.
“This year’s medical outreach is very important and apt, in the sense that it commemorates an important event worldwide, the ICDO international day. As you are aware the Corps is being oversee by ICDO. And ICDO is primarily a disaster management organization and that is why their concern is healthcare of the masses.
”We are here in this community to ensure we bring healthcare to the grassroot, healthcare to our people at no cost at all. It is based on this that the NSCDC partnered with United Healthcare International, who are very concern and passionate about the health of our people.
“Health related issues are affecting the masses and that’s why this outreach is coined ‘Building a Bridge for Better Healthcare at the Grassroot for Safety and Security of Future Generation’. This is to ensure that the poor in the society are treated and given the adequate healthcare services. This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility and that informed our presence in this place,” he said.
While thanking the community head, Chief Yakubu Musa and the school authority for the enabling environment, the Commandant General enjoined the members of the community to avail themselves and partake in the programme to get treated.
Receiving members of the NSCDC team for the medical outreach, the traditional ruler of Sabo Iddo Bobota, Mr Yakubu Musa, thanked the Commandant General for choosing his community out of several others in Abuja, reiterating that it was the first time his subjects would be benefitting from such gesture.
The traditional ruler appealed to the Corps for more continuous intervention while assuring the CG of his community’s support to the Corps at all time in curbing crime and other despicable activities of criminal elements within his domain and beyond.
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Head of Health and Medical Services at the NSCDC Headquarters, DCC (Dr.) Jude Oba, while delivering his special talk, encouraged the people that are 40 years and above to always check their blood pressure, describing the ailment as a hidden killer disease.
Oba further stated the as one grows, the likelihood of being more hypertensive also grows. Adding that lack of exercise also leads to hypertension. He called on the people to always check their BP regularly while also charging them to observe COVID-19 protocols and also get vaccination.
Earlier in his remark, Managing Director of the United Healthcare International, Dr. Kola Owoka, who was represented by the Manager, Idowu Adesoji said the outreach was to make free healthcare services available to the citizens of the community. Noting that health is most important in a man’s life.
“As a healthcare company, our passion is making sure people are well because a school of thought is arguing that health is most important need in a man’s life. This is because if you are not healthy, you will lose appetite for food, which is seen by many as the first need of a man,” he stated.
On his part, the Head Teacher of the school, Dr. Abdullahi Adamu, who spoke on behalf of the community appreciated NSCDC for coming to the aid of the community. He, however, lamented that the community lacks healthcare facility.
“I want to call on the government to provide healthcare facility for this community. It is a very good thing that NSCDC remember us for this outreach. We need more of this.” Adamu said.
While appreciating the Commandant General of NSCDC for the outreach, some of the beneficiaries, Mr Nelson Akalor and Mrs Sola Olaleye, said this is the first time the community is having such a medical outreach. They thanked NSCDC for the medical checkup and drugs given to them.
The highlights of the outreach include advisory on COVID-19 and High Blood Pressure prevention, free medical screening, free medical treatment/referral, free routine immunization and COVID-19 Vaccination. The pupils of Lea Primary school were also dewormed during the exercise.
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