Rebecca Ejifoma
A leading healthcare services provider, SYNLAB Nigeria, has rendered free medical services like cancer screening to residents of Ilupeju area of Lagos State during its 10th ‘Doctors on Air’ Medical Mission to ease them of huge medical bills.
Services provided were: breast and cervical cancer screening, blood sugar checks, dental care, hepatitis screening, eye screening, skin care related treatments, blood pressure checks, cardiology services, among others.
The medical outreach, which was organised in partnership with other healthcare providers and foundations, is an annual event designed to give back to society.
The Managing Director, SYNLAB Nigeria, Dr. Pamela Jackson-Ajayi said the mission was informed by the need to provide Nigerians, especially the low-income earners, access to quality medical services at no cost.
Her words: “The mission started in Obalende Lagos and has been extended to other parts of the state such as Yaba, Bariga and Alimosho.”
Ajayi, who is also the host of ‘Doctors on Air’ radio programme, expressed further that they were focused on secondary prevention which is trying to detect a disease at the very early stage to prevent it from showing up and giving complications.
She added that “SYNLAB is using the free medical programme to provide specialised healthcare to Nigerians.
“The medical outreach is an offshoot of the Doctors on Air programme that airs on Classic FM and Naija FM in its drive to enlighten Nigerians on key health issues.”
The Executive Director, Operations, SYNLAB Nigeria, Dr. Tolulope Adewole, said that as a socially responsible organisation, SYNLAB is consistently seeking ways to impact lives.
In working with the Ilupeju local government authorities, Adewole said they had all sorts of medical specialists offering a broad range of medical services to improve the health of those that have come out to partake in this exercise.
Reacting to the outreach, the Chairman of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA, Mr. Rassaq Ajala lauded SYNLAB for bringing its free medical screening to Ilupeju, while urging other well-meaning organisations to take a cue from its footsteps.
Ajala, however, called on other organisations to emulate this initiative. “The government cannot do it all. We need initiatives like this to complement government efforts at improving the health of Nigerians”.
One of the beneficiaries, Sarah Obieri applauded SYNLAB for its annual medical exercise. She implored other public-spirited organisations to join in this cue.
She said: “As you can see, I’ve been tested. These are my drugs. May God strengthen SYNLAB Nigeria.”
Other partners in this exercise are: Bridge Clinic, Chike Okoli Foundation, Euracare Hospital, Lakeshore Cancer Centre, Healthplus and Medicentre among others.
Over the years, SYNLAB Nigeria, formerly known as Pathcare Laboratories, has been delivering high quality diagnostic services to Nigerians and has continued to show strong commitment to the communities where it operates, through its life impacting initiatives.
