Ondo state government has concluded a three-day free medical outreach across the 18 local government areas of the state as part of efforts towards ensuring residents are in good health.
The medical outreach approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa was implemented the Ondo state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, OSPHCDA under the leadership of the Permanent secretary, Dr Francis Adegoke Akanbiemu and was effectively monitored by primary healthcare coordinators at the council areas.
During the programme which ran simultaneously across the 18 local government areas between Thursday 7th and Saturday 9th of November, 2024 across the eighteen local government areas, beneficiaries including artisans, civil servants, traders, farmers among others were screened for both communicable and non-communicable health conditions.
The beneficiaries were checked for Hepatitis B, Hernia, hypertension, Diabetes and malaria.
Those tested to be having the medical conditions received free drugs and counselling on how to successfully manage the ailments while those that required surgical intervention had been slated for the procedure in tertiary health facilities free of charge.
Some of the primary healthcare coordinators who supervised the exercise were Dr Poghikumo Iduwoni in Ese-odo, Debo Oyewole in Ose, and Dr Olawanle in Irele local government areas.
Speaking with journalists, the coordinators described the turn out of residents for the free medical outreach as impressive.
They said the programme would further lower morbidity rate among the people of Ondo state.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ebunoluwa Oke, Modupe Ayelomi and Mr Ugochi Benedict who confirmed that they were screened for some ailments and treated at no cost appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for giving priority attention to the health of Ondo state people especially at this time when some Nigerians with health challenges could not afford their drugs due to economic hardship.
They expressed their support to the administration of Governor Aiyedatiwa so that they could continue to enjoy free healthcare services.
In a remark, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo state healthcare development agency, OSPHCDA Dr Francis Akanbiemu explained that the free medical outreach was approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa towards ensuring that residents of the state have access to free healthcare services as part of dividends of democracy.
Dr Akanbiemu said the governor had also approved that the programme would now be carried out every three months to make it go round the nooks and crannies of the state.
The permanent secretary restated the commitment of the state government in leading a healthy state through various free healthcare services programmes already being implemented by his administration.
