BREAST CANCER, SEVERE ANAEMIA, DIABETIC COMA, CATARACT, GLAUCOMA AMONG OVER 700 HEALTH ISSUES HANDLED…AS ESLF’S “CAMP-TO-CAMP MEDICAL OUTREACH FOR IDPs” CONTINUES AT ABAGENA.

Two emergency cases (Severe Anaemia and Diabetic Coma) were among over 700 cases handled at the Abagena Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp as the “Camp-To-Camp Medical Outreach for IDPs” continued its free health services to IDP camps/location across Benue State.

Team Lead for the outreach, Lizzy Aganyi, who disclosed this on Monday, noted the alarming rate of severe health challenges diagnosed since the outreach began last week many of which had been referred to hospitals in Makurdi.

Aganyi who also noted the high rate of vaginal prolapses diagnosed so far, which she explained was a consequence of complications caused by prolonged labour and mismanagement during child birth.

While stating that her team had been treating many ailments, she assured patients who would be diagnosed of mature cataract, glaucoma and pterigium of accessing free surgery to be sponsored by an implementing partner of the medical outreach, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) in partnership with Tulsi Chanrai Eye Hospital Abuja.

An Ophthalmic Nurse on the team, Vincent Yongo decried the high rate of conjunctivitis, cataract and glaucoma diagnosed during the outreach, most of which he observed was due to ignorance.

Mr. Yongo explained that the wrong application of native medicine in a sensitive organ such as the eye could cause “Cornea Opacity” resulting in total blindness.

He confirmed that regular eye check-up was key to countering cataract and glaucoma and warned against self-medication and application of native medicine and substances like salt, milk, tobacco or charcoal which, according to him, have damaged many eyes.

The Ophthalmic Nurse who advised against indiscriminate buying of random medicated glasses in the open market, advised people to use only glasses and drugs prescribed by experts. He cautioned couples to desist from sharing medicated glasses as was common in many homes, a development capable of knocking out their “accommodative system” which weakens and adds more years to their eyes’ actual age.

Mary Sarwua, Ruth Kihemon, Mlumun Ukerku and Magdalyn Anum who received free delivery kits (also known as Mama’s Kits) expressed gratitude to the State Government, Office of the First Lady and Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) for the offer.

The medical outreach at Abagena IDP Camp saw a total of 640 patients treated, 21 referred, 147 tested in the laboratory and 50 surgeries carried out with torrents of testimonies from grateful beneficiaries.

The outreach continues today at Abagena.