By Boluwaji Obahopo

Lokoja – About 20,000 people have so far benefited from the free medical treatment initiated by Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation, CEDIO Outreach Ministry.

Coordinator of the free medical programme and Director of Medical Services in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Celestine Ejeh, made this known to newsmen in Lokoja, yesterday.

Ejeh said they had been able to treat 20,000 people, especially those in rural areas who were finding it difficult to access health care for various ailments. He said about 2,000 of the cases involved surgeries.

He said: “During the treatment we discovered that diseases patterns vary with geographical locations. “In some area, hypertension, diabetics and malaria are preva-lent, while in others, you have hynea, appendicitis and sexually transmitted diseases.”

He called on the people to cooperate with the team as Governor Wada was making sure that everybody benefited from the programme.