– Says Fed Medical Centre Bill Advances

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

In Kaduna State, no fewer than seventy thousand people across eight Local Government Areas are to benefit from a free medical outreach organized by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services, Mr. Amos Gwamna Magaji.

The benefiting Local Government Areas include Kagarko, Jema’a, Kachia, Jaba, Zango Kataf, Kauru, Sanga, and Kaura.

While inspecting the conduct of the exercise, which commenced on Tuesday at selected Primary Health Care Centres in the eight benefiting local government areas, Mr. Amos Magaji, who is also the member representing Zango Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency, stated that beneficiaries would undergo free HIV screening, laboratory investigations and treatment for Hepatitis B and C, malaria, diabetes, hypertension and surgical conditions such as hernia, lipoma, hydrocele, and appendicitis. Other services include refraction, issuance of medical glasses, and cataract extractions.

He explained that the initiative, organized in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Development Agency,was  aimed  at alleviating  the health challenges faced by vulnerable populations in rural areas due to the ongoing economic crisis and the high cost of drugs and medical supplies.

 Mr. Magaji also informed the people that his bill for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan had passed third reading on the floor of the House of Representatives and has been sent to the Senate for concurrence.

The lawmaker further revealed that the Kaduna State Government had already handed over the Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital in Kafanchan to the Federal Government to facilitate the smooth take-off of the centre, which is expected to be included in the 2025 Federal Budget.

In his remarks, the leader of the medical team conducting the exercise, Ibrahim Mohammed, noted that the five-day outreach was being carried out in phases and included advocacy, screenings, medication distribution, issuance of medical glasses and surgeries.

He assured that sufficient drugs and medical supplies had been provided to cater for over one hundred thousand people across the eight centres in Kaduna State.

Some of the beneficiaries, including the Agwom Kachia, HRH Zamani Dogonyaro, expressed gratitude to the lawmaker.

They commended him for facilitating the free medical outreach, which they said had significantly reduced the challenges of accessing treatment after being diagnosed with various ailments.