No fewer than 130 people on Wednesday benefitted from the free health screening organised by the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter to mark its fourth annual sporting anniversary.
The screening was done by certified medical experts working with the Labakcare Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation on health-related issues.
The Lagos SWAN Chairman, Fred Edoreh, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the free medical screening was aimed at caring about the health of sports journalists and the sports community.
Edoreh said: “We brought free medical outreach to our members who are sports journalists, sports ministry workers, coaches, athletes and sport community as a whole as part of activities marking our week.
“We know that as journalists, we can be careless about our health because of our busy schedule.
“So we use the opportunity to bring the outreach very close to our members.
“We have heard of cases of slumping.
“It is possible they do not know their medical status.
“I am advising our people to live actively, eat healthy foods and go for regular medical checkups.”
Also speaking, the Founder of Labakcare Foundation, Dr. Omolabake Fadeyibi, who co-sponsored the health outreach, urged people to go for regular screening to know their health status.
Fadeyibi said: “Majority of people have hidden sicknesses, which they are not aware of.
“Sicknesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, hepatitis, among others.
“Although, this is not the first time of taking health screening to places, we also offer free drugs to the participants.
“We are seeking support from all levels of government and private individuals to assist in doing more of this and educate members of the public as well.”
One of the beneficiaries, Joseph Apu, who is a journalist, lauded SWAN for organising a health screening as part of its celebration.
Apu said: “I think it’s a good one in the sense that journalists are too busy to check their health because they are always on the road for stories.
“I want everyone to grab this opportunity and make good use of it.”
Also speaking, Sherifat Kuku, a trader, popularly known as Madam SWAN, said she was happy to know her health status and lauded SWAN for the initiative.
In his comments, a footballer, John Umagwu, said knowing one’s health status would make him or her to imbibe a healthy lifestyle.
Umagwu said: “Here, I am diagnosed to have a high sugar level and I have been advised to reduce my sugar intake.
“From now, I will eat healthy.”
One of the medical doctors, who attended to the participants, Dr. Bolanle Salaudeen, advised people to check their health status periodically.
“I am advising people to check their blood pressure and sugar level routinely because having these can lead to many cardiovascular diseases,” Salaudeen said.
She also advised people to get health educator or medical personnel to enlighten them.
NAN reports that the medical team dispensed free drugs to the beneficiaries that had health challenges after the screening.
NAN.