Osinbajo inaugurates medical outreach programme for vulnerable communities in 409 LGAs
Outreach
By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Abuja, March 16, 2020(NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated the free Integrated Medical Outreach Programme(I-MOP) aimed at bringing immunisation, minor surgeries, general medical consultations, among others to unreached communities.
The event which was held on Monday at the Bwari Township Primary Healthcare Centre, Bwari, Abuja, is under the aegis of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
The programme entails the conduct of immunisation fixed posts, temporary fixed post, mobile trams and medical outreach sessions which will be implemented in 409 lowest performing Local Government Areas in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“So today here in Bwari, we will inaugurate the conduct of the first round of I-MOP for the unreached, under-served and vulnerable communities in 409 selected LGAs in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“ I bring you the President’s warm greetings and his commendations to the Minister of Health and his team and all of our collaborating development partners.
“In a few months Nigeria and indeed the African continent will be formally declared polio free by the WHO; our routine immunisation programme has also improved from 33 per cent in 2016 to 50 per cent as measured in the 2018 National Demographic Health survey.
“The President has also repeatedly asserted that his vision of taking 10 million Nigerians out of poverty every year for the next 10 years depends so clearly on a quantum leap in our human capacity development attainments especially healthcare.
“ This is why I-MOP is a crucial feature of our overall human capacity development effort; but despite our best efforts so far, there is a significant gap in bringing public health services to vulnerable populations especially in the rural, mountainous, riverine, peri-urban and other difficult to reach areas in the country.’’
According to Osinbajo, the programme, which will take basic healthcare services, health education, basic surgeries and screening for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, HIV aids and cancer to these underserved areas, is an eminently sensible and practical plan.
He said I-MOP not only provided free health services to communities that had never in the past enjoyed those services but also provided public health institutions with invaluable disease identification opportunities and outreach lessons.
“The I-MOP intervention is aimed at strengthening and scaling up access to routine immunisation and other primary healthcare (PHC) services in the selected low performing 409 LGAs.
“The first round of the I-MOP implementation is planned for March 23 to March 27 in the selected 409 LGAs in the 36 states and FCT.
“The second round is planned for April 20 to April 24, and the third round from June 1 to June 5; Nigerians and all other nationals residing within the country are encouraged to take their children under two years to the nearest health facilities for screening and administration of all due antigens.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria maintains a policy to provide immunisation services free to all against all Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs).
“All others age groups are also encouraged to visit designated one medical outreach center per senatorial district during the five days of the I-MOP implementation for basic general medical and surgical consultations/operations,’’ he said.
The vice president said that Nigeria’s robust proactive preventive efforts at checking the Corona Virus Pandemic had been widely praised.
He said that the Minister of Health and his team and all the public health service providers deserved commendation for their diligence and commitment in checking the spread of the Corona Virus.
On his part, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, said that the inauguration was a milestone and an important development in primary healthcare.
Lawan was represented by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi, Chairman Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases.
“It does not just take primary healthcare to the people but it tends to be specific; focusing on immunisation, treatment of minor ailments, counseling services, health talks and on non-communicable diseases like hypertension, cancer, chronic kidney diseases, stroke and diabetes as well as general medical consultations are commendable.
“The fact that these services are free is another good development in this administration,’’ he said.
He regretted that ignorance was a major problem confronting healthcare delivery in Nigeria, adding that information, counseling and appropriate guidance would raise awareness levels in rural, riverrine areas and all neglected communities as well as addressing integration.
More so, Fiona Braka, WHO’s representative, said that globally, there had been a reduction in child mortality over the past three decades.
She said that the African Regional Strategic Plan for Immunisation was aimed at achieving universal immunisation coverage, complete interruption of polio virus transmission, measles elimination and control of other VPDs.
The highlight of the event was the administration of oral polio vaccine to a child by the vice president.(NAN)
CJ/SH
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edited by Sadiya Hamza