Over 3000 FCT Residents Benefit From Renewed Hope Medicare

Over 3OO0 Bwari residents in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have accessed the free Renewed Hope healthcare services in Bwari Area Council in different areas of their medical needs, put together by the FCT Health Services And Environment Secretariat.

The free medical services rendered to the people include free eye screening with some receiving glasses, minor surgeries, health talks on balanced diet, the need to eat fruits, vegetables and drink enough water, antenatal care services, blood testing, immunization services, free HIV screening, screening for diabetes, hypertension and sickle cell diseases, free dental health services, and lots more.

On the occasion in Abuja, the Minister of State for FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud who said the outreach was the second under this administration, gave assurance that plans have been concluded to replicate such services across the six area councils of the FCT.

Dr Mahmoud explained that the mission is targeted at ensuring that universal health coverage was achieved in the territory; and urged all parents, particularly the pregnant women to enroll in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, FHIS.

She said the gesture would help to mitigate incidences of maternal and child mortality, if they receive the necessary healthcare services for themselves and their children.

According to the Minister, the FCT Administration is committed to addressing the basic needs of residents such as; renovation, upgrading and building of more primary health centers across the 6 area councils, and employment of additional healthcare workers.

Dr Mahmoud also talked to the women on the importance of exclusive breast feeding, the need to receive the complete dosage of immunization in preventing childhood diseases such as polio, TB, pneumonia, pertussis, diphtheria, measles, screening for HIV, Diabetes, Hypertension, amongst others.

The minister in addition to the medical palliative, also supervised distribution of fertilizers to those into farming and also gave out 5kg gas cylinder to help the women adopt the clean cooking gas initiative, to minimize pollution from the use of firewood.

She said” Without fertilizer, there will be no food, and when there’s no food, there cannot be good health “.

Earlier, the Mandate Secretary Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the FCTA under the Renewed Hope For Medical Mission has made provision for insurance care for every pregnant woman that enrols under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme for free, and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy unlimited free healthcare for one year with their new born baby.

Dr Fasawe identified the mobile health care services in the territory as a strategy that had yeilded the desired results in Kuje and Bwari.

“This strategy has been successfully adopted in many parts of Nigeria, and it takes healthcare directly to those who need it most through mobile health service delivery.”

“We attended to 1,578 general outpatients, with 42 referred to Wuse and Asokoro Hospitals for surgery.”

“Dental services were provided to 302 patients, including 45 extractions, 12 dentures, and 5 operculectomies, with 48 referrals to Wuse Hospital.”

“For eye care, we saw 931 patients, provided reading glasses to 531 of them, and made 91 referrals to Asokoro Hospital, where 29 cataract extractions have been completed. Antenatal care was provided to 74 women, and with 49 enrolled in health insurance”, Dr Fasawe said.

On his part, the Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Mr John Gabaya thanked President Tinubu and the FCT Ministers for making health care delivery more accessible to the poorest of the poor.

The Bwari Area Council Chairman also pledged readiness to mobilize more women in the council into the FCT Health Insurance Scheme.

Some beneficiaries that got free glasses, malaria drugs, ante- natal care package, fertilizer and the gas cylinder commended the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat for the gesture.

High point of the event was the distribution of the medical consumables and other palliatives like mosquito nets, 90 tablets of hypertensive drug to each patient with hypertension, as well as presentation of a drama on the benefits of Antenatal care and the dangers of living without health insurance.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Shakira Alabi