No fewer than 500 residents of Ojah community in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State have benefited from a medical outreach by the Nigeria Army School of Supply and Transport, Benin City.
The two-day medical outreach targeted the poor people of the community who did not have the financial means to treat themselves.
Speaking during the outreach on Wednesday, the Commandant of the school, Maj-Gen Bolaji Salami, said it was part of their interventions in the host communities.
According to him, the medical outreach covers general consultation, surgical referrals, general dental care, paediatric care and distribution of free drugs.
He said that the medical team would also focus on other health issues such as screening for common ailments among the elderly and children, especially diabetes, HIV, typhoid fever, and hypertension, to name a few.
Salami said that the medical outreach was in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff to have a professional and responsive army that would discharge its constitutional duties according to the rules of engagement.
“We will be embarking on civil supportive programmes aimed at fostering better understanding and deeper cooperation with our host communities to improve civil-military relations within our areas of operation.
“The essence of this programme is to take medical treatment to rural dwellers who do not have access to medical care,” he said.
The community head of Ojah, Chief Lawrence Obayemi, who commended the army for the gesture, said that the free medical care would go a long way in helping the people of the community who did not have money to treat themselves.
A nursing mother, Mrs Eunice Olatunji, said that she came with her children and received medical attention with free drugs.
“Indeed, we shall remain grateful to the army for this gesture at a time we are in distress. It is very compassionate of them, and our perception of the military as hostile people has changed,” Olatunji said. (NAN)