Adamawa State Government has commenced statewide screening of hypertension and diabetes mellitus targeted at 230,435 residents of the state.
Deputy Governor of the state, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta who inaugurated the exercise on Monday in Yola, said the programme is under the Project 10 million target for Nigerians.
She disclosed that, those tested positive to the diseases would be automatically, enrolled under the Adamawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (ASCHMA), to access one-year free treatment.
The Deputy Governor pointed out that government recognized the the diseases prevalent in communities often lead to severe complications, disabilities and in unfortunate cases, resulting to fatalities, hence the establishment of more, and upgrading of cottage hospitals equipped with trained medical personnel to strengthen health care services.
“In Adamawa State, our goal for Project 10millon is to screen 230,435 residents. The campaign would reach every local government area in the state from urban centres to remote villages, ensuring that all people, have equally access to health services,” she said.
Professor Farauta added that health workers will be stationed at specialist hospitals, general and cottage hospitals, primary health care centres, markets and places of worship for the exercise.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Mr Felix Tangwami noted that the campaign is aimed at enhancing equitable access to health services by every citizen.
In his remarks, Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (ADSPHCDA), Dr. Sulaiman Saidu Bashir said the agency would link those screened positive to care and referral pathway with other sister agencies for more care.
He assured that the exercise would effectively be carried out at the 670 primary health care facilities across the 21 local government areas in the state.
The District Head of Girei and Ubandoma Adamawa, Dr Ahmed Mustafa, also assured of traditional institution’s support for the exercise.
