By Philomina Attah

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Saturday provided free medical screening for diabetes and hypertension to residents at the Garki Village Primary Health Centre, Abuja.

Dr Anthony Orji, Chief Medical Officer, Pharma Healthcare Department, AMAC, said the exercise, sponsored by AMAC Chairman, Mr Christopher Maikalangu, was impactful and received positive feedback from patients.

He noted that free screening is part of AMAC’s efforts to enhance healthcare delivery and promote healthy living across the council’s communities.

By detecting diabetes and hypertension early, AMAC aims to reduce complications and improve the overall well-being of its citizens.

“The screening identifies people with diabetes and hypertension, offers counselling, and refers diagnosed patients to Primary Health Care Centres for treatment,” Orji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The exercise featured random and fasting blood sugar tests, blood pressure checks, and BMI measurements to assess risk factors among residents.

Orji said AMAC operates 15 centres for treating uncomplicated hypertension and five centres dedicated to diabetes care.

He emphasised the need for more health workers to manage AMAC’s growing population and urged upgrades of additional facilities into treatment centres.

“Preliminary results reveal a high prevalence of diabetes (40 per cent) and hypertension (50 per cent) among participants. Final figures will be released later,” he said.

Follow-up treatment for hypertension will be free, while diabetes treatment will receive subsidies, according to Orji.

Mrs Monica Jacob, Officer-in-Charge of the facility, praised the outreach, saying it encouraged people who rarely visit hospitals to discover hidden health problems like high blood pressure.

She added that the facility had recently benefited from an NGO outreach, which provided health talks on nutrition and pregnancy, well-received by the community.

Jacob cited irregular water and power supply as major challenges, noting that solar power does not provide 24-hour electricity.

She appealed for a generator or larger solar system.

She also called on donors and partners to continue their support, stressing that their contributions have significantly helped both the facility and the community.

Mr Emeka Mbanusi, Head of Information and Public Relations, AMAC, said the outreach reflected the Chairman’s campaign pledge to deliver healthcare services at the grassroots level.

He urged Garki residents and surrounding communities to utilise the free medical programme to monitor their health status and seek early treatment where necessary.

Mbanusi recalled that similar outreaches had been conducted in Kurudu, Jiwa, Gidan Mangoro, Apo Resettlement, Lugbe, Kar, and Kabusa communities since Maikalangu assumed office.

He assured residents that the Chairman planned to extend the programme to all 12 political wards of the council, with continued support for healthcare initiatives.

Some beneficiaries said the screening brought hope to Garki Village and urged sustained support for essential healthcare services through the facility.

Malam Abubakar Umaru, a 60-year-old retiree, thanked AMAC for the screening. After being diagnosed with high blood pressure, he stressed the importance of regular medical checks.

He appealed for monthly screenings, describing the programme as life-saving and crucial for preventing sudden deaths caused by undetected conditions. (NAN)

Edited by Remi Koleoso/ Kamal Tayo Oropo