Osun: Physician Advocates Regular Checkups At Qualified Medical Laboratories

By Tosin Olasunkanmi, Osogbo

A Consultant Family Physician at the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Dr Jide Seriki, has urged residents to undergo regular medical checkups at qualified medical laboratories to promote early detection of diseases and prevent avoidable health complications.

Seriki gave the advice on Saturday during the grand launch of Royal Crown Diagnostics Laboratory in Osogbo, Osun State, where residents benefited from free medical screening, consultations and drugs.

The outreach featured blood pressure and weight checks, Hepatitis B and C screening, medical consultations and other health services aimed at promoting preventive healthcare in the community.

Speaking at the event, Seriki, who is also the Head of the Geriatric Unit at the teaching hospital, described the initiative as a commendable community service capable of encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for their health.

“This is a very good step. It is a good community service, and it gladdens my heart to be part of this programme to launch this laboratory,” he said.

He stressed the importance of regular medical examinations, noting that routine checkups could improve quality of life, promote longevity and enable the early detection of illnesses for prompt treatment.

“People should not wait until they fall sick before going for medical checkups. Regular examinations help people know their health status and take necessary steps before minor health problems develop into serious complications,” Seriki said.

The physician also urged residents to seek medical services from qualified healthcare facilities and regularly monitor vital health indicators, including blood pressure and body weight.

He encouraged members of the public to take advantage of free medical screening programmes when available, adding that preventive healthcare should remain a priority even when such services were not offered free of charge.

Also speaking, a medical laboratory technician, Adewale Adelabu, disclosed that about 70 people had benefited from the exercise at the time of his remarks.

Adelabu said the outreach reflected the laboratory’s commitment to giving back to society and improving access to essential healthcare services.

“We believe that healthcare should not be limited to treating people when they are already sick. We also want to encourage people to know their health status through regular medical examinations,” he said.

He urged residents to take their health seriously and make routine medical checkups part of their lifestyle.

One of the beneficiaries, Olumide Oyedeji, commended the organisers for providing residents with an opportunity to assess their health status, describing the initiative as a welcome development.

Oyedeji said the exercise had increased his awareness of the need to monitor his health and expressed hope that more people would benefit from similar programmes.

“The programme is a good initiative because it gives people the opportunity to check their health status without having to pay for the services. I hope the organisers and other organisations will sustain similar efforts,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Olowookere Abiola Tobiloba, said he attended the exercise following an invitation from a friend and praised the organisers for providing essential health services at no cost.

He encouraged residents to undergo regular medical examinations to understand their health status and take appropriate steps to maintain their well-being.

Similarly, a student and beneficiary, Oluwaseun Claire, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to undergo free Hepatitis screening, saying she had been seeking an opportunity to take the test before learning about the programme.

“I am grateful for this opportunity because I have been looking for a chance to do the test. The free screening has made it easier for me to access the service,” she said.

Claire described the exercise as beneficial and urged the organisers to sustain similar initiatives to enable more residents to access medical screening.