In a bid to commemorate its first anniversary and give back to its host community, the Silver Cross Hospital in Abuja organized a two-day free medical outreach at Guidna Village. This outreach targeted not only the residents of Guidna Village but also individuals from neighboring communities of Gwagwa, Jiwa, Kagini, Timba, Finitobo, and Saburi.
During the outreach, a total of 1,000 persons received various medical services. Among the treatments provided were interventions for malaria, typhoid, hypertension, as well as screening and vaccination for Hepatitis B and C, and HIV and AIDS. The beneficiaries also had access to ultrasound scans, antenatal services, glucose checks, eye and dental checks, family planning services, and health talks, among others.
Dr. Patrick Ezie, the Chief Medical Director of Silver Cross Hospital, stated that the outreach was organized to complement the efforts of the government and to create awareness about the importance of regular health checks. In his words, “What we are doing is to complement the efforts of the government, though the government has done its part with the primary health care centers, the functionality of these centers is abysmally low in the 20 to 30 per cent range.”
Dr. Ezie further emphasized the need for public-private partnerships to improve healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities where access to quality healthcare is limited. He expressed his desire to collaborate with the government to provide better healthcare for the Nigerian people.
Mr. Musa Umaru, the Councillor of Gwagwa Ward, expressed his appreciation to Silver Cross Hospital for the outreach. He highlighted how the hospital has made healthcare services more accessible to the residents of the community, reducing the burden of transportation to distant facilities.
The Chief of Guidna village, Mr. Umaru Danladi, also thanked Silver Cross Hospital for their free medical intervention and prayed for blessings upon them. He commended the hospital for their concern for humanity and the care they provided without any cost to the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries themselves expressed their gratitude for the medical services received. Mr. Effiong Ika, a 72-year-old beneficiary, described his experience as fantastic and praised the hospital for not requesting payment for their services. Mrs. Hafsat Abdulkadiri, another beneficiary, thanked the hospital for checking her blood pressure, malaria, and typhoid, and expressed her confidence that God would bless them.
The Silver Cross Hospital’s free medical outreach has not only provided essential healthcare services to individuals in need but has also highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts between private institutions and the government in improving healthcare access in underserved communities. With initiatives like this, the goal of achieving universal healthcare coverage becomes more attainable for all Nigerians.
