Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city
A United States of America-based medical practitioner, Dr. Dennis Aikoriogie, has called on the Nigerian Government to give more attention to the health sector in the country, which he said would lead to quality health services to the people as well as check brain drain.
Speaking during a free medical outreach by the Dennis Aikorogie Foundation yesterday in Benin-city, Edo State, Aikoriogie, who is the founder, said healthcare should be accessible and affordable to the people, adding that medical doctors and other health personnel should be treated based on international best practices.
The free medical outreach comprised of health counseling, deworming, free medical consultation, eye and dental check-ups, general body check-up among others to the people.
He said: “The government should give paramount attention to doctors because I am aware they are on strike and many of them are leaving the country in droves to seek greener pastures which is leading to brain drain.
“I am therefore urging the government to look into issues of healthcare critically so that they can provide healthcare that is of international standard and accessible and affordable to everyone, and where everybody would feel belonged in the society in international best practices.”
According to him, the medical outreach was organised for those in need, and as a way of giving back to society.
“What motivated me is that growing up, I see a lot of people in various health challenges. This spurred me to try to reach back to the society and the less privileged, and to see how I can contribute my quota to the downtrodden and the down cast.
“What we are doing here will run into millions of naira, but it is not the amount of money that is most important but the psychological and emotional contribution towards this. It is self-funded for now as my personal contribution, but I have some friends like
OSR, who supported me,” he declared.
