By Adeola Ogunlade
Residents of Okunde Bluewater Zone, Lekki community in Lagos have benefited from a free comprehensive medical checkup outreach organised last week by Cedars House of Grace.
The three days outreach drew about 500 people who gathered at the church premises in Twin Water, Lekki from as early as 10:00am.
They were attended to by medical team comprising doctors, consultants, nurses, dentists, lab technicians, ophthalmology and other public health personnel.
A wide range of quality and comprehensive health care services such as eyes screening, laboratory test (urine and blood), blood pressure, blood sugar test, HIV, kidney, cancer screening, deworming of children, heart checkups among others.
Drugs worth hundreds of thousands were distributed after tests to beneficiaries with over 350 eyes glasses to those needing them.
The church also provided spiritual counseling for the residents.
A young hair dressing woman, Opeyemi Paul, who came with her child, said: “We are so happy that we can access medical care for free. I rarely go to hospitals. God will continue to bless them greatly.
“Other churches can take a clue at this benevolent act done to us”, she said.
In his words, the Associate Pastor of Cedars House of Grace, Pastor Femi Oluokun said the medical outreach was carried in the spirit of the seasons as Christmas is all about the love of God to mankind.
“It is our way of given back to the community. We are an extension of God’s hands, touching the lives of the people and that is what Chrisman. God gave his best to humanity and as salt of the earth; it is our duty to do this.
“Love is a language everyone understand. You can resist my preaching but the show of love no one can resist it. To change the world for Christ, love is key. We are expressing God’s love within the community and as God gives us power, we will do from time to time”.
Oluokun added that we complain that government is not doing enough, but if we bring all our token to the table, we will make a lot of difference.
Some of the people, this might be the only medical care they are getting this year. It is all encompassing covering a wide range of areas. The team will have are quite vast.
Earlier, the Head of the Medical Mission, Dr Adeleye Babarinsa said that the surgery were conclude which included gutter, and hyenaiar with the support of the Eti-Osa Local Government who allowed surgeries at the Primary Health Centre
“We try to be as comprehensive as possible. We don’t just test people, but allow them to go to the general practitioners first, then after the consultations; the doctors will determine who need what kind of investigation.
“If we cannot carry out the diagnosis, we refer the patient to a diagnostic centre to have the right test done.
“Here, we have ophthalmologists who give free spectacles to patients with identified eye problems.
“We screen them for malaria, upper respiratory tract disease, hepatitis, high blood pressure, sugar level and the dental problem.
He believes that the future of Nigeria robust health care system lies in primary health care.
He said that was the level where a lot of prevention takes place.
But he stated that it was sad that cases that supposed to have been taken care of at the primary health centres were found at the tertiary health institutions.He added when the people are healthy it would increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, and explained that there would be high productivity
