By Christie Doyin
The fact that health is wealth is no longer just a sing song and to those who had taken taken it on the face value, it has become an undisputed fact as accessibility to good health care services is of outmost importance though access is daily becoming a mirage, considering successive governments’ attitudes to provision and deliverance of good primary healthcare.
This, however, gave some groups of persons and individuals the nudge to consider empowerment of persons along the line of providing good but free health care services. By doing this, they are obviously giving succour to the deprived in the society and making them wealthy indeed.
For instance, there is a community group in Igbaja, a town in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara state, a well endowed city streaming with human and material resources such that once they consider anything good for their people, they go all out to get it done no matter the hindrances.
Igbaja is well known and popular for the radio ELWA and its landing strip for airplanes. A land of honourable, distinguished and successful merchants as well as professionals. The home of Onirese has a united front that caters for all indigenes, especially giving succour in the area of healthcare and provision of social amenities.
Though there are many community groups and social clubs, it is worthy of note that the advancement of the city, tagged small London is of highest priority, hence the decision of the Igbaja Pathfinders and Igbaja Peoples Forum in collaboration with Professor Kunle Dunmade, a Consultant surgeon of Ear Nose and Throat ENT at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, an Igbaja indigene who is also working with a team of Ophthalmologists coming to Igbaja, Kwara state to facilitate eye care services that include screening and surgery for people of the town and other neighbouring towns. The programme slated for 28th March coincides with the regular monthly health programme and is expected to span 2 days.
Hitherto, the different Igbaja groups that are not limited to the Igbaja Peoples Forum and Igbaja Pathfinders have variously done so much towards placing the city on the world map in recent times that include renovation of the cottage hospital, provision of a state of the art study centre and library that is computer compliant, rehabilitation of access roads, repairs of the Dam and boreholes among others. The IPF as well as the Igbaja pathfinders were tagged to be major force in building the blocks of development, which requires focus, commitment and lots of sacrifices from members and all indigenes alike.
As part of its contribution towards making the people wealthy by making them healthy, the Pathfinders association began the building of staff quarters for the cottage hospital in the town and recently handed it over to the state Ministry of Health at an event that had the Commissioner for Health, the Elese and his council, the Asiwaju of Irese land, Bales of surrounding communities, government representatives, stakeholders in the health sector, and the Crème de la crème in the society in attendance.
It is note worthy that before the commencement of the Doctors’ quarters, the Asiwaju of Irese land, who is also the Jagunmolu of Igbomina land, Alhaji Raheem Oladimeji, donated the sum of N500,000 while the Commissioner for Health Dr Raji Rasaq promised to provide all the cement that would be used for the 2-bedroom flat doctors’ quarters. The reality is now on ground as the building was commissioned 28th February, 2020.
One cannot but feel proud as the Kwara State Government commended efforts of the group for the donation of the block of 2-Bedroom and parlour self contain to the health facility.
The Commissioner, Dr Raji Razaq, said he was highly delighted to be in Igbaja for the ceremony. He noted that what the association has done is in line with the effort of the state government to make qualitative health care services affordable and accessible to all, stating that the building will help the staffers of the Cottage Hospital to reciprocate by also improving on their service delivery.
The commissioner said, “the state government has approved the renovation of all the primary health care facilities in the state, noting however that it will come in batches.
Also, the Director General Hospital Management Bureau, Dr Aluko Oladimeji, said the people of Igbaja have done well In supporting the state government in providing for the needs of the people. Actually, it was all round commendation for the group and people of the town.
Reacting on behalf of the Association and Community, the Jagunmolu, Alh Chief Oladimeji appreciated the Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and all those that facilitated the building and donation of the staff quarters. He however noted that because government cannot do it alone it is imperative that every community must put in efforts towards getting things done by contributing their own quota for the development of their communities, hence what has now happened.
Being one of such that is of the opinion that whatever can give hope to the hopeless and life to the dying deserves our applause and supports from all quarters, it is appropriate to commend the efforts of the different groups, particularly the Igbaja Peoples Forum, which seems to be the mother of the different groups and the Igbaja Pathfinders that is the main focus here and every other groups, home and in the Diaspora that have been bringing resources together to ensure that their home town (small London), becomes what they could be proud of.
The Pathfinders are taking another big stride, they have organised a free medical care, eye screening and surgery for the populace.
The upcoming free medical care, eyes screening and surgery is slated to take off March 28, 2020. The surgical intervention for indigent and elderly persons of 60 years and above include provision of free recommended glasses for those who are in need, along with free drugs for the treated eyes.
The decision, which was taken at the December annual general meeting is, according to the President, Alhaji Toyin Sodiq Fatai, meant to give wealth to the people through provision of free healthcare.
He said, “We shall do sensitization of the programme to enable many people to benefit. Societies in Lagos, Ilorin, Igbaja and all the surrounding villages will be reached out to.
“A minimum of N700,000 would be needed to execute the programme which include surgical correction for 25 people with cataract and other optical challenges needing surgery. The estimated cost also include screening and testing, free recommended optical glasses, pre and post surgery drugs, free drugs for those who do not need surgical intervention, feeding and accommodation of the medical team and other logistical needs”.
However, the association in collaboration with the IPU and other individuals are working towards facilitating the programme.
According to the organisers, surgery would be done with intra ocular lenses replacement, therefore, those with short-sightedness or long-sightedness would be given glasses while others that require drugs will also be given drugs. Eye problems like cataract, glaucoma, pterigium and other eye conditions which have rendered our people disabled would be attended to ensure that the people are made wealthy by being healthy.
*Doyin writes from Ilorin via e-mail:[email protected]
