(NAN)
The management of Silver Cross Hospital, Abuja, says it has provided free medical services to residents of Guidna community, a suburb of the FCT on Kubwa-Kagini expressway.
Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Patrick Ezie, said that the outreach was organised to provide comprehensive health care to the community and its neighbouring communities.
He explained that the event was organised in collaboration with Shalina Healthcare, Moesillo Foundation and the Petfernandes Foundation.
He said that no fewer than 350 women, men, youth and children of all ages came out to take advantage of the free medical services.
The services rendered include BP checking, Ultrasound Scan for pregnant women, medical and surgical consultation, HIV Screening, Free Drugs, distribution of food items, snacks, clothings, shoes and toiletries, among others.
The chief medical director explained that the hospital was out to serve the people, especially the less- privileged’s health needs.
“We noticed that most of them are living below the poverty level, so even though we run a facility, we try as much as possible to provide medical services to them.
“So that those that cannot access hospital services can benefit from the free outreach.
“All this is to detect their health problems early and to give the community a healthier position of living so that they are not caught up with emergency situations.
He added that the free medical outreach would be continuous, as the hospital intends to make it a monthly or bi-monthly exercise.
“Typically, the average Nigerian have poor health seeking behaviour and that is where most of our problems originates from.
“That behaviour makes them present most times in emergencies and you will find out that these things would have been easily prevented if they had assessed care on time.
“For instance, we discovered in today’s exercise that most people had high blood pressure and they were not aware of it.
“If we did not do this medical intervention, most of them would have come down with stroke, heart attack and sudden deaths within a couple of months.
“Though,we gave them free medications to manage it, all these life savings endeavours is to ensure people are healthier in this community and the neighbouring communities,” he said.
A beneficiary, Mrs Nkechi Ndommadu, a pregnant woman appreciated the hospital for the outreach.
“I really appreciate them for the free medical outreach they did today and I like the proximity to our place in this community.
“We have never enjoyed such services in this community before and bringing this to us has really reduced the burden of going outside the community to get medical services,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Micheal Odenyi, also appreciated the hospital for their kind gesture.
“It is a privileged to have this hospital bring this free medical outreach to our community.
“It has really helped by reducing the economic hardship on us, I pray that God will bless them,” he said.