NAS organises free medical outreach for residents in Abuja community
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as Pyrates Confraternity, has provided free medical services to residents of Karon-Majigi community in Abuja, as part of its quarterly humanitarian intervention.
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as Pyrates Confraternity, has provided free medical services to residents of Karon-Majigi community in Abuja, as part of its quarterly humanitarian intervention.
The outreach, held at the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Karon-Majigi, offered medical diagnosis, treatment, and referrals to members of the community, with nearly 200 residents benefiting from the exercise.
Speaking during the exercise, NAS Capoon, Dr Joseph Oteri, described the intervention as part of the association’s routine quarterly engagements.
“This is a medical mission organized by NAS as part of our quarterly meeting. We do it every quarter and when we go to any town we select a community that we think should benefit from the medical outreach and this community is already benefitting,” he said.
He noted that the intervention was particularly timely, given the population pressure on the community’s health facility.
“From what the Hakimi said, the place is overpopulated compared to what this place can cater for, so coming to this place is a blessing because they are now receiving treatment. He said some people come just do blood pressure tests and go. But we are to do all other tests and giving them the drugs and treatment that they need which is something we should be proud of,” Oteri added.
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He explained that NAS adopts a targeted approach to its interventions, guided by preliminary assessments of each community.
“We handle all ailments that are within the community we adopted for the medical intervention. Before we go to a community we do what is called scoping mission where we go there and find out the ailments prevalent in that community. It is based on that we procure the drugs that we use. Where the prevalence is malaria, we are going to get malaria drugs instead of wasting energy buying drugs for meningitis for instance which is not their problem. We use what they have to procure the drugs we need,” he said.
On funding, Oteri disclosed that the association currently relies on internal resources, though plans are underway to attract external support.
“In funding, NAS is a organization that is self funding but there are plans to get support from outside,” he stated.
He further highlighted collaboration with government health structures, noting that the intervention leveraged existing public health facilities.
“We use primary health care centers which belongs to the government on our interventions. We work with government people in that centre. So referrals and follow up is done through them. Now the Hakimi has said this place needs expansion, we would use our links with the Federal Capital Territory Administration to see how that is done for them here. We refer serious medical cases and we follow up,” he added.
Oteri also commended ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s health sector, particularly efforts to strengthen primary healthcare.
“The health sector is beginning to improve with Minister of Health, Pate. A lot of things have changed. A lot of PHCs are being revitalized now. If you look at the scope of treatment, most of the diseases that goes to the teaching hospitals can be solved at the primary health care centers. So if 60 percent of the treatment is being done at primary health care centers we dont have business overcrowding our teaching hospitals and secondary care. So that is what Minister of Health is doing right now,” he said.
Also speaking, the Medical Mate for NAS Sahara Deck, representing the Medical Mate NAS Worldwide, Wisdom Ekanem, said the intervention was necessitated by the poor health conditions observed in the community.
“We discovered people of this community were disadvantaged medically. The intervention is to bring primary healthcare services to them, which includes basic investigation of malaria, hepatitis and other blood work.
"We also offer treatment for their illnesses and also basic education on health education, counseling and referral services where we follow up after referring. We get a feedback from the referral facility and if need be we see how to help them further,” he said.
Ekanem noted that residents had expressed appreciation for the intervention.
“The community is very happy. From the scoping mission to this intervention stage, they have been thanking God that an organization like this has come to their aid. If you look at the community, the population, and the size of the PHC, the services they offer, you will see that the community is really suffering. So they are happy we are here today,” he added.
He used the opportunity to call attention to the broader environmental and infrastructural challenges affecting residents’ health.
“I will use this opportunity to draw government attention to the health situation. This community is very close to town. But if you look at their condition of living, there is no good drainage system, the housing system is not well planned so they are predisposed to many health challenges. If government can look into that,” he said.
In his remarks, the Hakimi of Karun Magiji District, Yunusa Abdullahi Bako, expressed gratitude to the association for the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful.
“What I see here today gladdens me. I am excited to see my people receiving free treatment. I am glad to see this. The organizers are appreciated,” he said.
He said in the past, various organizations came and only administered blood pressure checks without any treatment of follow up.
He, however, called for further support, particularly the upgrade of the local health facility.
“We still need more though. Not just treatment. Need expansion of the Primary Healthcare Center to a comprehensive or General hospital so it can handle the population of the community. They don't have a doctor here. Just a nurse and other health workers. They need more staff so they can help to address the health challenges of the community. God will reward them,” Bako added.
