Healthcare: FG to partner NGO to assist less privileged, PWD -Tallen

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Anthonia Duru

The Federal Government has concluded arrangements with a non-governmental organisation, Miteda Wellness Initiative, to carry out a medical outreach to assist less privileged persons, including Persons With Disabilities (PWD).

The Minister of Women Affairs, Paullen Tallen, stated this in Abuja during a courtesy visit to her office by members of the NGO, led by its Founder, Dr. Adefunmilola Williams-Daudu.

According to the minister, the target beneficiaries will be screened for diabetes, hypertension, cervical and breast cancers.

Under the new arrangement, which has been scheduled to take off in Nasarawa, Plateau and Lagos States, attention will be focused on PWDs and people living in rural communities who are afflicted with complicated ailments but lack access to quality health care services.

Also, medical experts will be brought in from Kentucky in the United States of America to begin the intervention in Lagos State.

A 13-man team of experts from the United States of America is expected in the country to build the capacity of nurses and medical doctors in the area of hypertension, cancer and eye problems.

The team will also conduct eye tests and surgeries, as well as donate free eye glasses and medications for all kinds of diseases

Tallen commended the NGO for contributing towards improving the health status of the nation, as well as recognising the role of Nigeria in addressing the plight of women and children.

She said, “The ministry is always excited to work and collaborate with people who reach out to promote the well-being of women and children. I want to assure you that we will partner with you to ensure you reach out to more people.”

Earlier, Williams-Daudu said the visit was to intimate Tallen about the organisation’s plan to hold a free medical outreach in Nasarawa, Plateau and Lagos states.

According to her, more than 5,000 persons in Benue and Ondo states benefitted from the medical outreach in 2018.  “Over the years, we reached out to the vulnerable, PWDs and rural people and people suffering from complicated ailments and did not have access to quality health care services”, she said.

Williams-Daudu said that a collaboration with Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, would further improve the health status of women, children and the society at large.

“We will conduct an outreach on December 28 to screen for diabetes, hypertension, cervical and breast cancer. There will also be eye tests, eye surgeries and donation of free glasses and medications for all sorts of ailments.

“Also, in 2020, we will bring in renowned eye experts from the US to do some rare eye surgeries and build the capacity of local eye experts. We are already in touch with the Lagos State Government. These experts will be coming between March 8 and 15. “Lagos is going to be the pilot state. Although we have done a lot in Ondo and Benue states,  we are going to start with Lagos in 2020 and move on to Nasarawa and Plateau states.”

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