By Ngozi Okpalakunne
Over 500 residents in Lagos last week benefitted from health care outreach organised by the Stop Hurting People Foundation, a non-for-profit organisation.
The event, which held at City of Refuge Ministries International, gave the participants opportunity to check their eyes, sugar level as well as blood pressure. They were also given free drugs. Those who have eye-related issues were also given free glasses.
The initiator of the outreach, Eunice Iferi Chukwuemeka, who spoke at the event, said the programme aimed at alleviating the suffering of the less-privileged people in the state.
Bemoaning the current economic crisis currently ravaging the nation, she appealed to well -meaning Nigerians and corporate organistions to come to the aid of the needy in the society.
Driving her point home, she said: “Many of these people are going through tough time, the challenges are on their faces. Many of them are dying of diabetes, blood sugar issues, blood pressure issues and other ailments and no one cares, we should be our brother’s keeper.”
A nutritionist, Frank Ojile of Frank Kitchen, who gave a talk on the importance of eating healthy described bad fats as major killers of the body.
Ojile advised that people should minimise consumption of seasonings, adding that it is not health for the body.
“The seasonings put in our foods should be minimised or stopped to enhance healthy bodies. A lot of people are fond of seasoning cubes and oily foods. At the end of the day, it affects the immune system. Basically, these cubes and oil gradually build obesity into your system and doctors say once you are obese you are prone to other life-threatening diseases.
“So, we are advising people to reduce cubes, rather, they should strive to take natural spices instead of cubes.
“All organically-processed flavours are recommended for your cooking. If you must use oil, it’s better to get palm kernel oil. You don’t need to fry; rather, cooked, roasted or grilled foods digest properly in the system and so do natural spices,’’ Ojile added.
Speaking also at the event, Bishop Oscar Ossai, commended the convener of the event and her team of volunteers, doctors and other medics for coming out to reach out to the community in solving their health issues and giving them palliatives.
According to him, such endeavour, he said would brighten the lives of the beneficiaries.
