Kwara, Adamawa begin free hypertension, diabetes screening

…230,435 patients will be treated in Adamawa

Kwara and Adamawa States’ Governments on Monday began free screening on hypertension and diabetes for residents across the two Northern States as part of the initiatives of the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum, targeting 10 million Niherians across 36 States and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within one week.

In Kwara, Amina Ahmed El-Imam, the Commissioner for Health said that the initiative would complement the efforts of the State in terms of quality health service to Kwarans as directed by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, adding that the past medical outreaches had significantly improved the health standards of the people across the State, especially those with limited or no access to healthcare facilities.

She said, “The newly approved free hypertension and diabetes screening exercise is part of the current administration’s commitment, to delivering quality healthcare services to Kwarans at large.

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“This is an initiative of the Nigeria Health Commissioner’s Forum, aimed at screening 10 million Nigerians, for two of the deadliest non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, across the 36 states of the federation, including Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. With this intervention, Kwara Project Ten Million’s target, is to reach at least 196,913 Kwara residence, at the end of the exercise.

“196,913 residence of Kwara will be screened free of charge, at their nearest Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) Facilities in all the 193 wards, and in some selected secondary health centers across the 16 LGAs, Including some other selected locations across the State.”

Medical experts were on ground at the screening locations, to offer necessary guidance and affordable treatment for likely positive cases detected during the exercise.

Kaletapwa Farauta, deputy governor Adamawa State, who launched the statewide screening of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in Adamawa State for 230,435 residents of the State, noted that the programme was part of a week-long medical outreach designed by the Health Commissioners to screen 10 million Nigerians for hypertension and diabetes.

Farauta said those tested positive of the deseases would be automatically enrolled under the Adamawa State Contribotary
Health Management Agency (ASCHMA), to access one year free treatment.

“In Adamawa State, our goal for project 10 million is to screen 230,435 residents. The campaign would reach every local government area in the state from urban centres to remote villages, ensuring that all people, have equally access to health services”, she said.