Pulse.ng : Polaris Health Care Limited, NECC Offers Free Medical Outreach to Over 1,750 Residents in U/Rimi, U/Pama Communities in Kaduna

By Sani Idris

Polaris Health Care Limited, in collaboration with the National Ear Care Centre Kaduna (NECC), has offered free medical outreach to over 900 residents of Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna North and over 850 at Unguwan Pama, Sabon Tasha Chikin Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The two-day outreach was held at the Government Girls Secondary School Unguwan Rimi Kaduna North, while in Chukun LGA, at the Unguwan Pama District Head’s residency.

Access to health care has become a huge burden on Nigerian citizens due to high rate of poverty, lack of medical insurance and medical personnels.

This, triggered the Polaris Health Care Limited in collaboration with the NECC organised the huge medical outreach as palliative to cushion down the inaccessibility and cost of medical services to the communities in two LGAs in kaduna.

Speaking to newsmen at a sideline of the outreach, Dr Muhammad Sani, Chairman of the organising committee for the medical outreach, said the excercise was to cushion the effect of the economy on the residents on the aspect of health.

Describing health care as one of the most important aspect of human life, he said the outreach was therefore in order and timely.

Sani who doubles as the Coordinator of Residency Training of the NECC, said the centre has in the last 12 years organised such outreaches yearly or twice in a year where thousands of people benefitted.

According to him, there are fewer number of Specialists on Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), noting that the outreach was an opportunity for those who could not access ENT care, to explore it at their door step.

Earlier, Dr Mustapha Abubakar, the Medical Director (MD) of National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna, said they conduct the medical outreach yearly.

He said the essence was to create awareness to the general public on the ENT diseases among others.

He explained that prior to their outreaches, they identify communities and attend to their medical needs regarding ENT.

“We have our doctors, nurses pharmacist, laboratory, and audiologists who do hearing accessment of patients,”he said

Abubakar, noted that all they do, from consultation, investigations and treatment were free, adding that those who needed further evaluation were sent to the hospital, where some who require surgeries are being operated on for free.

“In cases where referral is necessary, we do it and foot the bills, but if the bill is much on the hospital, we give them waiver, but about 70 per cent of patients we refer from this outreach, we offer them the surgeries for free,”he said

Speaking further, Abubakar explained that diseases of the ear could be associated with pains, itching and hearing loss while that of the nose could be accompanied by bleeding, malignancies, and pains for throat problems.

He said they also treate patience with hypertension, diabetes, malaria, among others, however noting that they concentrate more on ENT.

Newsmen reports that residents of the two beneficiary communities, expressed joy and happiness while giving gratitude to the organizers during the life touching free medical outreach.

They thanked organisers of the outreach for the gesture while praying for God’s support and progress in their endeavors.