By Stanley Onyekwere
Some Doctors under the umbrella of Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN) have offered free medical services to no fewer than five hundred persons in Gishiri Community, a rural area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In particular, the beneficiaries mainly women and children of all ages received free Diabetes, Malaria, HIV/AIDS and COVID19 tests and diagnosis, after which they given drugs.
The Catholic Doctors also offered a talk on health and wellness, whereby they sensitised the people on the need to always exercise, eat healthy food, and drink responsibly.
Speaking at the event held inside the premises of Catholic Church of the Annunciation in the community, ACMPN’s National President, Dr. Matthew Ashikeni, at the weekend said the medical outreach was part of the activities of its 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific 2021 conference scheduled for next month, in Abuja.
Ashikeni noted that it was a full package of healthcare services to the people in this community, with minimum target of 500 beneficiaries.
According to him, “Health is wealth, and Gishiri from its setting is more or less a rural community though it’s so close to the city, and as Catholic Doctors, we are preparing for our national conference next month, and as part of the preparations for the event here in Abuja, we feel that we should give something back to our people especially those who don’t have any access to essential health services.
“We have organised this medical outreach, in order to attend to the basic health problems of people in this community. We come to run some investigation and tests for malaria, diabetes, blood pressure, HIV and screening them for COVID19.
“We are prepared to test from 500 to 1,000 people in the community. The minimum is 500 beneficiaries. Amongst us here, we have very senior medical consultants because they passion for service to their fatherland (Nigeria)”.
On his part, Reverend Father Benedict Ahamiojie, the priest in charge of the Catholic church of annunciation, Gishiri Community, the environment and health sector needs improvement, so that people live a healthier life and in healthier conditions.
He expressed gratitude that the doctors thought it worthy to offer free medical tests for about 600 people in Gis, to enable them know their HIV, hypertesis and COVID19 status.
“All these are important, because if they know what is wrong with them, they can help solve their problems already, and they prevent any disease from spreading”, the clergyman added.
One of the benefits, Comfort Kure, said the initiative will help a lot, because there are so many of us in this community that cannot even afford food, talk more of money to go to hospital to run tests and buy drugs.
According to her, “I believe it’s going to help so many of us here in the community, as they offered important medical services to us, free of charge”.
