More Benefit From Ambulance Boat Services

No fewer than 11,000 people resident in five local government areas of Lagos State have benefited from the Free Ambulance Boat Services; a reverine rural health programme designed to improve healthcare services at deprived reverine rural areas, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris has said. Idris who made this known recently while rectifying the report of rural health programme noted that the state government established the Rural Health Programme in 2002 to not only improve the delivery of primary healthcare services to these deprived areas especially the reverine areas of the state but aslo in response to inadequate and lack of access to health care at these areas   He pointed out that the programme was designed to detect asymptomatic and undiagnosed cases of non communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes as well as treat minor ailments in addition to free distribution of drugs to beneficiaries adding that the programme has enhanced good health referrals system between reverine communities and corresponding Local Governmnets Areas' and Local Council Development Areas' health facilities as patients found to be hypertensive or diabetic during such services are referred to the nearest General Hospitals for further investigation and management. The Commissioner opined that since the launch of the Ambulance Boat Service Programme, access to reverine areas has been greatly improved as 51 communities spread across six local governments and local council development areas including Amuwo Odofin, Oriade, Ojo, Eti Osa, and Ikorodu have been covered as at June this year. He recalled that 684 people recently benefited from the services rendered by the ambulance boat at Tomaro, Agara 1, Shiku and Onigbongbo reverine areas in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area with no fewer than 361 children being vaccinated with immunization and 324 people treated for minor ailments given free drugs adding that other services provided include free eye screening and treatment including provision of eye glasses, immunization of children and environmental/health education. "While children were immunized against polio and measles; adult were screened and treated for various ailment and diseases including hypertension and diabetes with adequate drugs given; blindness prevention team also screens and treats patients for minor eye problem, prescribe and give recommended glasses as required while complicated cases were referred to the nearby General Hospitals for further investigation and management", he noted. Idris stated also that the ambulance boat service has helped the state government in getting health data for better policy formulation which will enhance the lot of people in the deprived areas. The Commissioner noted that out of the 11,000 people seen and treated so far, 1,127 people which represent 11 percent of the people were Hypertensive while 104 people which represent 1 percent were diabetics.  Idris then reiterated the state government's commitment at improving the lot of rural and reverine dwellers especially those at deprived and hard-to-reach areas of the state adding that various health programmes have been targeted at them.