Health
By Kazeem Akande
Lagos, July 24, 2018 (NAN) Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), an NGO, has donated HIV test materials and other essential drugs to Kirikiri Prison to tackle the health emergencies among the inmates.
Mrs Rebecca Ediale, the HEI Project Officer, said while presenting the items to the prison officials on Tuesday that the drugs would go a long way in tackling health challenges and emergencies at the medium prison.
“Basically, the items will go a long way in attending to key emergencies at the prison, for example sugar test, high blood sugar can cause a patient to go into comma and very low sugar is even very critical.
“And there is HIV test items as we know these are common emergencies that can threaten the life of the prisoners including malaria.
“So, the basic emergency can immediately be dealt with at a snapshot and the prison officials will be able to determine what is wrong with the patients right away,’’ she said.
Ediale said that malaria and other vital drugs were presented to bring relief to the inmates under the HEI Project Joseph initiative.
According to her, the project seeks to build the capacity of the basic health care needed among the indigent citizens and to provide assistance to inmates that require urgent medical attention.
She added that HEI was stepping in to bridge the gap and ensures that vulnerable individuals could access basic medical care.
Mrs Muibat Rufai, the Deputy Controller of Prison in charge of Prison Clinic, who received the items, thanked the NGO for the gesture.
Rufai said that the development would bring a new change in the prison clinic as the drugs would go a long way to tackle the health challenges among the inmates.
“These drugs address the health challenges at least with the capacity, because the inmates are many, right now we have over 3,000 prisoners’ lockup.
“It will also assist us for some months, because we attend to over 50 inmates everyday at the clinic as we face lots of health challenges here due to the number of prisoners,’’ she said.
HEI had paid hospital bills of over 200 accident victims at various general hospitals in Lagos State in 2017 through its initiative.
Mr Paschal Achunine, the Executive Director of HEI, had said that the organisation was established to assist road accident victims by offsetting their hospital bills.
He said that the initiative was set up to support and revives critically injured accident victims across the country.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also commended the NGO for giving prompt support and assistance to over 200 accident victims in the last two years.
Mr Hyginus Omeje, FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander, gave the commendation during a “Five-kilometre Walk, Carnival and Charity programme’’ organised by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), an audit firm in Lagos. (NAN)
AKA/FF/MTM
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Tukur Muntari.