3,000 journalists, others benefits from free healthcare service in Ibadan

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No fewer than three thousand journalists, including Ibadan residents, have benefitted from the Dental and Eye Care Mission, aimed at providing adequate healthcare services to the people.

The three-day medical mission, led by foreign experts, was facilitated by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council in Ibadan on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyo NUJ had also collaborated with the Second Chance Smile Global Foundation, Olasupo B Foundation, MAP International and Ajagbe Legacy Foundation all from U.S.

In his remarks, Prof. Oluwole Ajagbe, who led the team of foreign experts, commended NUJ for the collaboration to bring the programme to Ibadan.

Ajagbe estimated the cost of the healthcare programme to be 575,000 dollars (N235 million).

“We want to use this opportunity to say thank you to NUJ, Oyo State council for collaborating with us.

“Our main objective is to bring relief to people who are suffering from dental and eye problems.

“We come prepared to be able to see minimum of three thousand people,” he said.

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Also, Alhaji Soladoye Adewole, the Public Relations Officer, The Polytechnic Ibadan, commended the NUJ excutives led by Alhaji Ademola Babalola, for prioritising the health and welfare of members.

Adewole, also a former NUJ Chairman in the state, said he was proud to be part of the union for taking care of members.

According to him, many journalists are careless with their health, because they are always busy.

“I commend the leadership of NUJ for thinking of the health of members and putting this together. I feel proud that the legacies we left behind are being sustained,” he said.

Also, Mr Banji Ogundele, the Chairman, League of Veteran Journalists, commended the Babalola-led leadership for always prioritising the welfare of members.

“I was there personally, I registered and was attended to. A lady doctor examined my eyes, saw my glasses and advised that I should always wear my glasses.

“She said that each time dust entered my eyes, I will have problem. I never thought of this before. So, this is a very good thing,’” Ogundele said.

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He described the Babalola-led executives as forward-looking, saying that the programme had added another feather to their caps.

“They are not only doing things that will enhance NUJ, but what will give everybody around them the benefit of the fact that they are there,” he said.

Commenting, a veteran journalist, Mr Adebisi Adebunmi, also commended the state NUJ executives, saying that the free healthcare services bailed him out of a challenge which could have gulped N15,000.

“I came to the press centre this morning for treatment of my sight. I was told that the dental people are here. I went to them they remove the teeth free of charge.

“They have removed the burden of looking for N15,000 from my neck.

“I have come to thank the NUJ chairman for bailing me out of the hostage,” Adebunmi said.

A Consultant from Florida, U.S., Dr Benedicta Udeagbala, also commended the NUJ for collaborating with them and making their stay worthwhile.

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“We are here today to benefit the people of Ibadan by providing dental care, vision screening and vision care. It has been wonderful. It’s a great place to be.

“We are having a lot of fun, we have seen lots of people and we’ve been able to intervene as well as share the knowledge we have come with,” she said.

However, Babalola urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the drugs, glasses and counsel given to them by the experts.

The state chairman said that the programme was to change the old narratives where veteran journalists suffered toothache, eye and ear impairment as they grow old.

“So, we felt there is a need to safeguard the future of the current practitioners, the younger elements in journalism.

”I want to assure my colleagues that we are going to make this a yearly affairs,” he said.(NAN) 

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