The Lagos State Parks and Garages (LASPG) in collaboration with a non-profit organization, Eko Club Atlanta, has organized a day free health service for commercial bus drivers in the state.
Over 1,000 drivers and union members benefited from the initiative, tagged: Medical Rescue Mission.
They were attended to by a medical team comprising doctors, consultants, nurses, dentists, laboratory technicians, ophthalmologists, and other public health personnel from Atlanta in the United States and Nigeria.
The medical outreach featured a wide range of quality and comprehensive health care services such as eyes screening, laboratory test (urine and blood), malaria, dental checks, Laboratory testing, blood pressure, blood sugar test, breast cancer screening, diabetes and heart check-ups among others.
Drugs worth tens of thousands were donated by the Eko Club of Atlanta, and distributed to beneficiaries after the test was carried out, with eyeglasses given to those in need.
Chairman of the LASPG, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo) thanked Eko Club of Atlanta for their effort which according to him is in furtherance of his administration commitment to ensure that Lagos is free of road crashes.
According to him, healthy drivers would ensure safer drive, roads free of accidents and devoid of societal ills.
He added that a health-challenged driver is counterproductive.
“If you are in this world and you are not taking care of your health, you will face a lot of health challenges. So, taking care of one’s health is not negotiable.
We are concerned about the well-being of our members. We will continue to encourage them to go for medical check-up, avoid drinking alcohol and other unhealthy activities while driving,” he said.
He reminded the drivers of the health insurance programme put in place for drivers and their families in Lagos which he stressed will enable them access free health care.
President of Eko Club Atlanta, Adedeji Ajiboye, said: “We want to give back to our community and we thought the way to do that is to bring back a medical mission.
We know that our people are in need of medical services. The only way we can help the local and state government is to bring a medical mission such as this to the community.
“We advise and give medication to those with high blood pressure. We had eye screening, cervical cancer screening and dental check-up, just for the benefit of our people.”
He hailed Akinsanya’s wife, Adewunmi for facilitating the health mission.
Ajiboye advised the drivers to be conscious of their health by “check your blood pressure every morning and watching the kind of foods you eat. Without good health there is nothing you can do and we want people to live long.”
A beneficiary, Akintade Abiodun, described the programme as a welcome development.
Abiodun said: “Health is wealth; the state chairman is taking care of the people’s health. The test showed that my health is in good condition. I told them to give me anti-malaria drugs and multivitamins.
“Majority of us take things for granted. I am about 60 years old and I don’t have any health issues because my intake is reasonable unlike some other drivers who take harmful substances in excess. I advise them to be moderate in whatever they are doing.”
Another beneficiary, Ismaila Lateef said: “I ply the Ikeja to Iyana-Ipaja route. I was told to rest as my Blood Pressure (BP) is high due to stress and I was given some drugs. I really appreciate the organizers of this programme, may God bless Alhaji MC Oluomo.”
Also, Bidemi Folawiyo said the gesture showed that the management of parks and garages has good plans for the drivers.
“This is a good thing and we want it to continue. I did all the tests, ranging from sugar level to blood test to blood pressure.
This is my first time meeting Alhaji Akinsanya and I can see that he is a calm, respectful and humble person,” Folawiyo said.
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