NMA offers free medical care, drugs to police personnel in Kwara

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kwara chapter, has offered free
medical care and drugs to the officers and men of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ilorin, Kwara.

Our correspondent reports that the medical outreach was part of activities marking the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the association.

The Chairman of NMA in Kwara, Dr Ola Ahmed, who spoke on the outreach that took place at Police Cottage/Comprehensive Health Centre, Kulende, Ilorin, explained that it was one of the ways of giving back to the society.

He said “since the inception of my administration, NMA has enjoyed good relationship with the top hierarchy of the Kwara command of the Nigeria Police Force.

“We now decided to use the opportunity of our AGM to reach out to other officers and men of the command.”

According to him, the outreach is to help people to solve minor ailments, identify major ones that will require counselling and management and also make
appropriate referrals.

Ahmed, who said that things were difficult now, added that one of the ways the association could help people was to carry out medical outreach.

He urged residents to key into the state’s Health Insurance Scheme (Kwara Care) to mitigate the impacts of economic hardship on their health.

“Kwara Care is affordable, available and accessible across the 16 local government areas of the state,” he said.

The Vice-Chairman I of NMA in the state, Dr Julius Dare, said that during the medical outreach, 216 adults and 48 children were attended to, out of whom, 90 NPF personnel were given free healthcare and services.

He pointed out that the association chose to extend the medical outreach to NPF so as to continue to foster good relationship.

He said “we enjoyed good relationship with the police. In a way, our roles are the same; we are involved in saving lives while NPF protect lives and property.

“The medical outreach affords the opportunity to screen and improve the status of the health of the police personnel.

“It is also an opportunity to reduce the global morbidity, especially for non-communicable diseases, which we have noticed to be on the increase.

“Hopefully, we can reach out to other agencies subsequently in our medical outreaches.”

The medical expert listed some of the health challenges recorded to include malaria, hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer and musculo-skeletal pain generally associated with the elderly.

He reminded the police and the public that health is wealth, adding that everybody should take care of their health.

According to Dare, healthcare is not cheap in Nigeria, adding that people should be more involved in preventive health.

In his remarks, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, commended NMA for the medical outreach to the personnel.

He described the relationship between the force and NMA as cordial, while appreciating the association’s efforts.

“We have been working and collaborating together. The two of us are also working toward the same goals, although on different platforms.

“NPF is saving the lives and property of the citizenry while NMA is also protecting and saving lives,” he said.

Okasanmi also said that the force and NMA would be engaged in a friendly football match to further foster stronger relationship between them.