Islamic Development Bank gives Free medical services for Niger rural dwellers

On a bid to address medical deficits in Niger State, a non-governmental organisation, Islamic Development Bank Scholarship Graduates Association of Nigeria (IDBSGAN) has given free medical services to over 500 rural dwellers in the state.
Ten doctors and other health personnel provided health talks, diagnosis and gave free drugs to community members in Gunnu.
Speaking to reporters during the free mobile medical clinic, the National President, Mr Bello Muktar, an engineer, said the association offered these services to alleviate the plight  of the poor, adding that rural dwellers are vulnerable to diseases and often cannot easily access medical services.
He said the turnout was impressive, adding that the number of people who came for the programme almost overwhelmed them as they did not have enough drugs to cater for such diseases as hypertension and diabetics.

“In most instances, we do not have statistical data of the common illnesses in the areas, so we come with general drugs. So we face shortage of certain drugs because there are instances of cases that we are not aware but in general, we are doing well.”

Muktar called on government to do more in improving health centers in the rural areas and expand the medical facilities adding that the people need to be enlightened to be concerned about their health.
“There is need for more medical facilities, there is need to expand because of the population, the people have to be concerned about their health. There is need for awareness among the people to pay frequent visits to hospitals and health care centers in their various communities.”
He said that the medical outreach was their own way of giving back to the society as beneficiaries of the Islamic Development Bank Scholarship.
The Officer in Charge of the Basic Health centre in Gunnu, Hajiya Aishetu Yusuf Kuta expressed appreciation to the medical team for giving free treatment and drugs to the people of the community, adding that this will help the people who do not have money to get medical services.
According to her, on a normal day, only five to eight people visit the health center for various ailments but only few of them could get the drugs prescribed to them due to lack of money.
Kuta said government need to help provide more drugs and equipments to the people in the rural areas so that there will be no need for them to go to the urban area to get medical attention.
One of the beneficiaries, Elizabeth Hassan expressed appreciation to the group for the free medical care; she said she was diagnosed with high blood pressure, was given some drugs to take and was referred to the Minna General Hospital.
She lauded the project saying it brought succor to some of the community members who do not have enough money to buy drugs.
Another beneficiary, Allison Peters said the medical outreach is the first of its kind in the community adding that it will go a long way to help and relieve the community members who are going through different type of ailments and diseases.
He called on government to give organizations such as  IDBSGAN the financial aid to improve the medical services to other villages and rural areas.
One of the doctors attending to the community members, Dr. Umar Ndagi from the Minna General Hospital observed that most of the people he have diagnosed had diabetics and need more investigation regarding their health state adding that most of the people had chronic diseases that have not been detected and they are at risk of early death.
He expressed his joy for being able to help the people pointing out that the right place to cater for people medically is in their villages.
Over 500 men and women were diagnosed and given free drugs while all the children available were de-wormed; people with advanced cases were given referral to the Minna General Hospital.

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