NACA, SURE-P target 10,000 beneficiaries in free medical outreach

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), in collaboration with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) said it is targeting 10,000 beneficiaries for its four-day free medical outreach in Kogi State.

Speaking during the exercise yesterday in Abocho in Dekina Local Government Area of the state, NACA Director General, Prof John Idoko, said the exercise would run simultaneously for four days in Abocho, Iyale and Ayingba communities.

Idoko, who was represented by the Assistant Director, NACA Coordination Dept., Dr Daniel Ndukwe, said critical cases diagnosed during the exercise would be referred to relevant and competent hospitals for further treatment.

According to him, the outreach is to create awareness on HIV/AIDS and to enable participants know their health status, receive counselling as well as possible treatment.

“The people would be diagnosed for HIV, diabetes, hypertension, malaria fever and other blood related diseases. We will also educate the people that HIV, diabetes and hypertension do not have cure but can be managed. We have on ground, medical consultants and other health care personnel to attend to people,” he said.

Earlier, the Director of Dekina Local Government Council, Mrs Agumage Adejoh, represented by the Director of Primary Health Care, Mr Gabriel Ebune, assured the organisers of the council’s support during the programme.

She commended the agency for embarking on the programme, urging people to make judicious use of the opportunity.