280,000 Get Free Health Services In Lagos
280,000
people have benefited from the free health scheme of the Lagos
State government in South western Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr.
Jide Idris, disclosed this when he spoke just as the train of a
key component of the programme, the Eko Free Health Mission,
moves to the Mainland Local Council..
A statement quoted the commissioner as saying at
the weekend, that the Free Health Scheme Programme is an
initiative of the last administration but has been sustained by
the current administration.
According to him, the scheme is for the benefit
of the citizenry in line with the campaign promise of Governor
Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to make qualitative health care delivery
accessible to all residents of Lagos, irrespective of income,
tribe, race or political affiliation.
Idris explained that the scope of services
covered by the scheme includes free treatment of Malaria which
has been extended to local council area, free treatment of
children aged 12 years and below, free treatment of adults aged
60 years and above; and free ante-natal care services for
pregnant women.
He said other areas covered by the scheme include
ambulance boat services to cover riverine areas of the state;
and free treatment of public servants, their spouse and four
dependents aged 18 years below. He added that special programmes
such as free TB/Leprosy treatment, blindness prevention, limb
deformity corrective surgery, cleft lip/palate repair, cardiac
surgery, breast cancer screening and school milk programme are
also part of the free health scheme.
Giving a statistical breakdown of the
achievements recorded under the free health scheme, the
commissioner confirmed that 164, 290 children aged 12 years and
below have benefited, 54, 992 adult aged 60 years and above and
18, 929 public servants are also beneficiaries. Also, 55 people
have been given free health service reimbursements and 68
persons were sponsored for overseas medical treatment.
NP/MICHAEL
