By Editor
The Oyakhilome Bello Foundation, has decried the nonchalant attitudes by Nigerians to medical checkup over the years.
The National Coordinator of the foundation Mr Olaniyi Ilori who spoke to reporters in Abuja said it was unfortunate that most Nigerians do not really make out time to visit healthcare centres for medical check up as at when due.
The Foundation in partnership with the federal Ministry
Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on Tuesday 28th November held a free medical outreach at the entrance of the ministry.
Ilori attributed the development to the spate of sudden and preventable deaths in the society.
Calling on wealthy Nigerians to assist the less privileged and the vulnerable in the society toward meeting their daily survival needs, he said that the government alone cannot meet the needs of all segments of the society, especially the less privileged due to competing demands.
He said that the foundation had organised a free medical outreach for awareness creation to members of the public who might not have the resources and time to go to health centres to access healthcare.
He thereby called on Nigerians to take advantage of the programme to improve on their well-being.
`”And this is why we came up with this programm as one of our own ways of contributing to national devolvement and impacting on the lives of Nigerians. We are doing it to save lives, knowing that Nigerians are going through a lot at this time, and the government alone cannot provide everything” He said
“It is one of our own ways of giving back to society, and we hope that well-meaning Nigerians will take a cue from us to assist the government in reaching out to the people,” Ilori said.
The founder of foundation, Mr Oyakhilome Bello, the National Youth Leader of the U.S chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that the foundation gave out food items to the less privileged in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said the foundation plans to organise the free medical outreach in all the six zones of the country as a way of taking healthcare to the people.
He said the foundation was collaborating with healthcare professionals, organisations and government bodies to ensure evolution of healthcare policies that prioritise on the needs of the target audience.
“Health is wealth and education is fundamental to the development of anyone in life. A key thing for us to tackle is the aspect of education, wealth comes with knowledge and as long as you are very educated you will know how to make wealth,” Bello said.
Mr Paul Idoko, one of the beneficiaries, while commending the foundation for the initiative, said it was a well thought out plan that should be emulated my other well to do Nigerains.
Ms Mary Ossai who spoke after receiving free medical checks and some medications, thanked the foundation for the opportunity and for supporting the less privileged through the initiative.“You can see the drugs they gave me. I sincerely appreciate them and hope that other wealthy Nigerians will emulate them by giving helping hands to the vulnerable in the society,” She said.
