College of Medicine embarks on Health outreach, screens the elderly for healthy ageing

Success Damian:

The Medical team (In the middle are Dr. Ogunyemi and Dr. Olufunlayo) during the Health outreach at Oba Salami PHC, Jibowu Yaba, Lagos, recently

Due to complications arising from old age and the lack of quality health services in Nigeria, the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos has embarked on the screening of people of 60 years and above to ensure quality and healthy ageing.

At Oba Salami Primary Health Centre, Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos, the group in collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and other concerned health organisations screened over 200 elderly people. The elderly who were at the PHC as early as 9 a.m. underwent eye and dental screening, blood pressures and sugar tests

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According to Dr. Doyin Ogunyemi, a Public Health Physician, Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos and Coordinator of the Initiative spoke to the Media on the objectives of the outreach. In her words “We are having people in this age bracket (60) and above growing than ever before and it is estimated that we are going to have more exponential growth in this age group, whereas there is little in terms of care for the elderly. So we see them as a vulnerable population, we find out that they have multiple health problems, the need for medication, not able to move around too much, less financing; because they are not working, they are retired.  So we feel if we focus more on them then they would live more quality life,” Ogunyemi stated.

Speaking also on the outreach at the Oba Salami PHC, Ogunyemi said, “Today we are able to offer some services, eye screening, dental screening, blood pressures, blood sugar, we also look out for any cardiac risk. We had health talk that pertains to the elderly and a Physiotherapy session. This is just the beginning with hope we are able to replicate more of this.”

Ogunyemi said that the services were rendered free, even though partnership came from the Oba Salami PHC, Local Council Development Area Medical Health Officer, community mobilizers, SYNLAB, May &Baker, Department of Ophthalmology, Dental and Physiotherapy Departments of LUTH.

On sustainability she said, “We look forward to greater involvement and synergy between the community and the health structures in those communities, so that the health of those elderly will eventually improve; they will have a better quality of life, when the people in the community have better quality of life, then it means that people will be happy, healthier and there will be more productivity. So we see it as a long term thing, we are hoping that next time we will have more people partnering with us so we can render more services to more people,”Ogunyemi stated.

Dr. Tolu Olufunlayo, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of University of Lagos and an Honorary Consultant to LUTH, spoke on the choice of Yaba for the outreach, “First of all, the head of our department, Prof. Olayinka Abosede, advocated that we be more involved in the surrounding communities which we use as practice areas for our students, both at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.

“So we plan this outreach because our consultant team is working in Yaba LCDA. We work in conjunction with the community health structures, the medical officers, health educators, ward health committee, health staff within Yaba LCDA, they help us to mobilise people to this Primary Health Centre. We found this place a bit suitable to take the crowd that we expected today. We are also here to create awareness about some services that are specifically for the elderly which this community may not be aware of,” Olufunlayo stated.

She said LUTH has a geriatric clinic which serves people who are 60 years and above “It is meant to be for geriatric wellness, primary care and psycho-geriatric, meaning that it is geared towards the elderly’s needs and billed to commence every Thursday, from February, 2019 in Yaba.

Olufunlayo who is also the state chairman of Lagos Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria stated that in addition, the department of community health and primary care also runs an endemic disease clinic at LUTH Community Health Out-patient that runs on Fridays. She reiterated that based on awareness created at the outreach some patients who are probably from Surulere axis can also access that clinic.