Free Medical Outreach Across Nigeria

Geographically, Lagos State is the smallest state in Nigeria but paradoxically it has one of the fastest growing populations in Nigeria. This fact has inadvertently increased the disease burden of the people of Lagos. According to the Alma-Ata declaration, Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity. Good health is a fundamental human right and that the attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important world-wide social goal whose realization requires the action of many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.
The challenge therefore for the government has been to continuously find ways of improving the health status of the ever increasing population. The plan for achieving this was based on the Health Policy Thrusts.
One of the strategies adopted by government is the organization of free medical missions to compliment the normal health delivery services in the state. These are specifically designed to address pressing health issues of the rural communities in the state, in line with the Free Health policy of the government.
BENEFICIARIES
The target population of the free medical missions comprises members of the rural communities in the three senatorial districts of the state and this includes the elderly, children, pregnant women etc with pressing medical and surgical problems, especially those who are poor and cannot afford the cost of Medicare.
SCOPE
Services rendered during the mission include:
1. General consultation and free medications, including nutritional assessment of the children
2. General basic / uncomplicated surgeries
3. Basic, uncomplicated Obstetrics / Gynecological surgeries
4. Simple dental procedures
5. Eye Consultation and Screening with provision of glasses)
6. Eye surgeries (cataract extraction with intra ocular lens implantation, glaucoma surgery and Pteryguim excision etc)
7. Hypertension & Diabetes screening

BENEFITS
These include:
• Another way of reducing the morbidity and mortality figures in the state.
• Capacity building for the health work force
• Fulfilment of one of the cardinal programs of the present administration, thus increasing its acceptability by the rural community.
• It may also encourage other governments and non-governmental organizations to integrate their programs in a similar fashion.

OPERATIONAL MODALITIES