31st March, 2022
The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has charged its members to key into the State’s Health Insurance Scheme for proper care of their health.
Chairman of the union, Leye Ajayi said this on Thursday at the Free Medical Mission organised by the NUJ, Lagos Information Chapel for its members.
Over 200 members of the chapel were screened for various ailments, such as diabetes, hypertension, dental care, eye care, free medical consultancy, among others. Those with eye defects were given free glasses.
Speaking at the event held at the Lagos Government Secretariat, Ajayi urged journalists to key into the health insurance scheme.
“Journalists should key into the health insurance scheme. I have a health insurance scheme. During our last Congress, we brought LASHMA and other private investors to enlighten our members on the need for a health insurance scheme.
“It is not when one is sick or any member is sick that you will be looking for a hospital; you have to attach yourself to a hospital for proper medical check-up,” he said.
Ajayi described the free medical mission put together by the Information Chapel as laudable and needed at this present time when lots of journalists do not pay attention to their health.
“It is laudable, we only pay maximum attention to our work, we don’t pay attention to our health, this mission affords us the opportunity to check our health status. I have checked mine, I did what is called comprehensive checks.
“It is good for us to check one’s health status. Oftentimes, people die either due to heart attack, diabetes and so on. We need a regular check of our health status. We don’t need to talk about medical tourism when we have good doctors in the country and that is why the government and private sector should take care of our doctors because health is wealth,” he said.
Ajayi added that the Lagos Information Chapel has set an agenda for other chapels to emulate, hinting that the medical mission might be carried to the State Chapter of the NUJ where thousands of journalists could benefit.
Chairman, NUJ, Lagos Information Chapel, Debo Adeniji, said what made the Chapel organize this kind of medical mission was to ensure that all the Public Affairs Officers in the Lagos State Public Service know their health status and live healthily.
He stated that many of the members were going through rigorous assignments and having sleepless nights due to the nature of their jobs at their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“As they rightly say, health is wealth, and we have been seeing some of our members complaining about one ailment or the other and we deemed it necessary to come up with the medical mission for everyone to be health certified,” Adeniji said.
He commended the founder of Mercy International Medical Mission Inc (USA), Dr. Erelu Anu Esuola and the team leader from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale for coming to Chapel’s aid and for supporting it in ensuring that members were able to know their health status.