The Eko Free Health Mission train, a health intervention initiative of the Lagos State, designed to cover primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care is moving to Oshodi Isolo Local Government.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris while speaking on the project, said the progamme had brought succour and relief to the needy and that no fewer than 25,000 Lagosians will benefit from the latest round of the programme.

The Commissioner noted that the mission was introduced in the quest to find ways to take health care to the grassroots and under-served areas of the state

He opined that the Health Mission is particularly significant because it assists the government in its efforts at bringing, to the barest minimum, the number of untimely deaths in the State particularly as the beneficiaries of the programme include the most vulnerable members of the population at the grassroots like the elderly, children, youth and pregnant women who are prone to infections and other maternal and child health-related diseases

The Commissioner added that the periodic organization of the medical missions is meant to also compliment the normal health delivery services in the state with the objective of addressing the pressing health issues of the rural communities in the state in line with the state government’s free health policy and the health sector reform as part of an overall efforts geared towards tackling the challenges in the health sector.

Said he, “the state government inherited a lot of problems in the health sector but with commitment and dedication, government evolved many strategies to tackle all the problems and that is why government embarked on the health sector reform, the implementation of which is being pursued with serious vigour”

The Commissioner stated also that the free medical missions were embarked upon to serve as alternative source of healthcare delivery access especially to the people at the grassroots since government cannot wait until infrastructure, equipment and manpower championed by the health reform are ready before people have access to qualitative and affordable healthcare service.

Dr Idris noted that the Mission will also supplement the state government’s formal health structures at the grassroots level as well as provide alternative avenues of providing secondary medical care to the ailing within the time frame of operation.

He then urged the people of Oshodi Isolo and its environs to take advantage of the Eko Free Health Mission by coming out en mass for the programme adding that services to be rendered include free consultation and treatment for various ailments such as surgeries for the repair of appendix, abdominal swellings, lumps, screening, eye diseases and dental problems as well as the promotion of health protection enlightenment.

The Mission will be held within the secretariat of the Oshodi Isolo local government on Oyetayo Street in Oshodi and will end on Friday, 25th February 2011.