Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market Holds Five Day Medical Outreach for Traders

The Caretaker Committee of Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, has commenced a five day free medical outreach for traders to improve access to healthcare and promote regular medical check ups.

The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwuleta, said at the opening of the outreach on July 13, at the market clinic that the initiative was designed to provide medical care for traders who often neglect their health because of the demands of their businesses.

Chukwuleta said the programme, the second since he assumed office, would enable traders to undergo medical examinations for the early detection and management of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, thereby reducing the risk of preventable health complications.

He commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for establishing a functional clinic in the market and employing qualified healthcare professionals, adding that the support of the Commissioner for Health and the hospital administrator facilitated the outreach.

He urged traders to take advantage of the free medical services and prioritise their health despite their busy schedules.

Also speaking, the Treasurer of the Caretaker Committee, Mr. Kenneth Oliseke, described the outreach as timely and beneficial, recalling that cases of traders collapsing in the market due to undiagnosed hypertension were more common before such interventions.

Oliseke commended the market leadership for sustaining the initiative and advised traders against self medication, stressing the need to seek proper diagnosis and treatment from qualified healthcare professionals.
The outreach includes blood pressure checks, blood sugar and cholesterol screening, malaria testing, eye examinations and general health education for traders.

Ebele Egoh is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State