PSN-YPG Osun Offers Free Medical Care To Osogbo Residents To Commemorate 2021 World Pharmacists’ Day

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The Young Pharmacists’ Group, Osun State Chapter, on Saturday offered free medical and health services to residents of Osogbo, Osun State capital to commemorate this year World Pharmacists’ Day.

CityMirrorNews reports that Young Pharmacists Group is an interest group of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. Membership is open to all Pharmacists licensed by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria who are not more than 35 years of age and/or less than 5 years post-graduation from an accredited Pharmacy school.

The Chairman, PSN-YPG Osun, Pharmacist Ayokunle Omoniyi, explained that the initiative was aimed at supporting the health of the residents.

Omoniyi further explained that the gesture was part of their social responsibilities adding that PSN-YPG Osun organised the free Medical and health outreach to commemorate the year 2021 World Pharmacists’ Day.

According to the superintendent and registered pharmacist, the programme would help the beneficiaries leant more about their health

Omoniyi said, Today, we are commemorating World Pharmacists’ Day and PSN-YPG Osun is Organising free Medical and Health outreach. It is really beautiful how the people of Osogbo received us as they have not stopped trooping in to get medical attention. This medical and health outreach is our way of giving back to society.

“We realised that a lot of people do not know a lot of things about their health and it is scary. Some of them have their blood pressures up to 180/100 and when you tell them they are hypertensive, they don’t believe you. Some people don’t even know they have low sugar. I am very happy PSN-YPG Osun has been able to help them.

“We have a free medical screening for all of the people who come here to present themselves to the officials. You’ll be registered. Your vitals would be taken and you go see the medical doctor for interpretation and consultation. Then, the pharmacists would attend to you and give you drugs to help manage and/or treat the condition.

He advised the people to desist from consulting quacks just as he educated them on the adverse effects of taking drugs that are not being prescribed by the doctors.

Speaking, the Secretary and Coordinator of PSN-YPG Medical and Health Outreach, Pharmacist Emmanuel Atoyebi said they came to Osogbo, the state capital of Osun to cater for over 1000 people.

Atoyebi who said they organised the programme to commemorate this year World Pharmacists’ Day said the theme of this year celebration is “Pharmacy: Always Trusted for Health”.

He further explained Medical and Health Outreach featured point of care testing, free Medical consultation and pharmaceutical care, Free Medications, Health Awareness on Drug Abuse and Sexual Health.

“As part of our way of giving back to society, we are aiming at getting the very poor who may not be able to access medical facilities for fear of funds to get some kind of free medical service.

“What we’re doing is to check the blood pressures, sugar levels, we offering sexual education to the people, we are offering tuberculosis test and HIV test.
We get pharmaceutical companies, corporate organisations and other individual sponsors to support this vision and supplement what we have put down.

“We want people to be healthy. We are looking at this as one of the ways of contributing to the society. We have drivers, market men and women who may at times cannot afford the health care and most of the time they patronised quacks that’s why this programme is targeted toward them.

“After this, they will know their health status and this would make them to know that pharmacists are always available for them.

He, however, charged the people to always consult medical doctors and pharmacists whenever they noticed they have health challenges instead of consulting people who are not well trained.

He emphasized: “People who patronised non professional are putting their health at risk which is very dangerous for them. So, I , want to admonish them to always patronise pharmacists or they go to hospitals.”

The Governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu commended the members of PSN-YPG in the state for Organising such a groundbreaking Medical and Health Outreach for the residents of the state.

Oyetola said the gesture would go along with the vision of his administration in ensuring that every citizen of the state has access to good Medical care.

He used the occasion to itemised some of the achievements the state had recorded so far in the health sector, saying there was no any local government in the state that has not been benefited from his qualitative health care service delivery.

“When I assumed office, I make sure we renovate all the health centres across the state with modern equipments and trained and professional personnel.”
And We didn’t owe health workers their salaries.

Some of the beneficiaries, among whom are; Chief Mrs Latona Mujisat, Iyaloja , Orisunbare market, Mr Adeleke Oyetunji and Latona Amina said, “It is only God who can reward and that God will bless these people for them. See all the things they have given to us for free. We really appreciate them”.