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Lagos to Flag Off Free Diabetes Screening

Daily Champion
Ngozi Okpalakunne
26 July 2007

The Lagos State Government will commence free diabetes and high blood pressure screening for all residents in all local Government areas in the state from the end of July.

The disclosure was made by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) at a reception he organized for Eko club International medical mission team which has been in the State in the last two weeks.

According to a statement made available to Health forum, the governor who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja said the move is part of the quest of the state government to concentrate on preventive healthcare rather than curative medicine.

He urged other Nigerians [in the Diaspora] to emulate the examples of the members of the medical team by bringing their initiative back home to give something to the place they call home. The governor said the more of such missions that could be embarked upon the wider the prospects for Nigerians to enjoy medicare.

He said several diseases would not have been prevalent but for poverty which have made it impossible for several people not to be able to discern about the kind of food they eat and its nutritional constituents.

He commended the foresight of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu who initiated the programme adding that over 255,000 free eye glasses have been administered since the free eye glasses programme was conceived for people with eye defects.

The Governor was of the opinion that words alone cannot convey the level of appreciation which he feels for the entire members of the medical for the selflessness they have displayed in the recent mission. He added that it was worthy of note that they could leave their businesses and concerns and also singled out the non Nigerians among the mission for the trip to Lagos.

While speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said the team which has been in Lagos in the past two weeks saw over 800 patients from across the state. The areas visited by the team included Lagos Island, Epe, Agbowa, Badagry and Orile Agege.

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