The four-day free medical programme for residents of Alimosho Constituency 1 organised by their representative at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuf, will remain evergreen in their minds. Thousands who were hitherto hopeless had their medical challenges resolved. OZIEGBE OKOEKI reports
For several hours penultimate Monday, residents of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State were trooping to the four centres where they had their health examined. Some who had serious ailments that required surgery were operated upon where necessary.
Courtesy of their representative at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuf, the four-day free medical programme was said to be life-changing experience.
The event was one that brought smiles and relief to thousands of residents in Alimosho Constituency 1 as they were given rare opportunity to know their health situations. Those who are already aware of their health challenges and stigmatised as a result also were given one form of treatment or the other and were no longer victims of stigmatisation.
At the end of the four-day programme, over 250 residents went through different types of surgery while thousands of others were treated of different ailments/diseases. Only one of the residents tested positive to HIV and 10 others who had serious medical complications were given referrals after proper screening had been carried out on them by medical personnel.
Surgical operations were carried out for residents who had hernia, lumpectomy, ganglion, goiter and keloid, while screening was carried out for diseases such as urine analysis, diabetes, HIV, hepatitis B, prostate specific antigen, sight problems, malaria, de-worming for children and adult. General free medical checkups were also carried out.
The screening took place in four designated locations in the four local councils that make up the constituency, namely Alimosho Local Government (Open Space, Alaguntan Bus Stop); Agbado Oke-Odo (Council Secretariat); Mosan Okunola (Abesan Mini-Stadium) and Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA (Ipaja Mini-Stadium Hall).
The surgical operations were carried out at the Ayobo-Ipaja Mini-Stadium Hall which was converted to a hospital. On ground for the programme were 25 surgeons, more than 30 pharmacists and a retinue of nurses and other para-medical personnel.
Though the lawmaker had ensured that the programme which he began when he was Chairman of Ayobo/Ipaja Local Council Development Area was yearly event, this year’s exercise was unique. This is so because it was the first time surgical operations became part of the programme. The lawmaker assured that subsequent programmes will have doctors from the United States of America in attendance.
He said: “It is my annual project. I began it when I was the Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA. I take health as my priority. As the chairman, I built one health centre in each of the five political wards in the LCDA.
“I have the largest constituency in Nigeria. The number of people is enormous and every day I live with them. This free health programme covers all manner of diseases.”
The lawmaker also said he decided to use the medical programme to reach out to his constituents while celebrating his birthday which was the day the programme commenced.
“At my age, if God has given me good health, I should replicate it to benefit others who are less-privileged.”
He said his constituents deserve sound health if there will all-round development in his area, “because without good health, there is little you can do to improve the society. There are some here who cannot afford even drugs of N200.
He said: “As you know, I’m celebrating my birthday today. I was born on September 26. So, instead of partying with people who even have more than I do, why don’t I do things that the less-privileged people will benefit from? You can see the way the people are appreciative of the programme.”
On the surgery operations carried out, Yusuf said: “It is baffling that these kind of problems exist in the country and people are burying dollars in toilet pits instead of spending it on people who need it. I am happy I am part of this.
“For some of them who were operated on, they had been stigmatised as a result of the ailments but we have been able to take them out of that bondage. They can now live a free life. Some of them could not believe relief would come their way free of charge. Some have resigned themselves to fate because they could not afford the bill for the operation in hospitals. But through this effort, they have been taken care of. For them, it is unbelievable,” Yusuf said.
The lawmaker, who is Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), said: “You can see the number of people here. Even though we are in economic recession, people should not suffer in all aspects of life. There are so many people who cannot afford drugs of N200. Since I’m representing this teeming population and I’m healthy and since God has given me the power to do it, I must do it. If you have good health, you have everything.” he said.
Continuing, he said: “This is bereft of any political motive. I have Prince of Hope Foundation; I’m building an institution that is going to live after me. I once donated one million drugs to ministry of health for de-worming of children. I’m still doing that even beyond my own constituency.”
In a chat with reporters on the first day of the programme, head of the medical team, Dr Olajoko Samson Alaba, a surgeon, assured the residents of professional treatments, saying everything has been put in place for successful surgical operations.
He said: “We will treat hernia, glaucoma; we won’t be able to do the big ones because this place is not a formal hospital. We will do the pre-surgery here. Any other post-surgery will be resolved in the hospital.”
While appreciating the massive turn out, the lawmaker said he could not give specific number of people that benefited from the programme since the it was open to all residents in the area.
The lawmaker thanked some pharmaceutical companies that assisted the programme with drugs and some of their personnel as well as some hospitals and surgeons who volunteered their services.
While commending Yusuf for the health programme, the Sole Administrator of Alimosho Local Government Area, Quadri Ishola said the lawmaker ”has been a very wonderful personality. He has been doing all he could to ensure the well-being of his constituents. What we are witnessing today is a strong achievement sponsored solely by him.
“Health is wealth. In whatever way we can give our people a viable health opportunity, we should do it. As a government, we have done something similar to this where we partnered the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and corporate bodies,” he said.
He, however, advised the beneficiaries to take whatever medical advice given to them by the medical team serious.
Ishola said: “Whatever health advice given to them by the health personnel, they must abide by it. When we live healthy, it’s better for us all. A healthy individual or society encourages the economy. They must keep to instructions.”
One of the beneficiaries whose lump at the side of the neck and back of his head was operated upon and removed, Dele Lawal, said he has carried the lump for over 15 years. He said he had been charged between N80,000 and N120,000 to remove it in hospital but could not afford the money. He thanked the lawmaker for the gesture that brought relief to him.
He said: “I will always pray for Hon. Yusuf, his family and the political party that produced him.”
Another beneficiary, Ogunyemi Wasiu also said: “When I received the information that there would be free health programme for the people, I rushed down here. The programme is good; it’s going on well. They gave us absolute attention.”
