By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Friday, December 9, 2022, will remain indelible in the memory of residents of Arumoh Street in Ajegunle-Apapa, Lagos.
It was an auspicious day in which the Western Naval Command (WNC) of the Nigerian Navy chose to organise a free medical rhapsody to alleviate the health challenges of the populace.
The venue was the Nuwai-Ud-Deen Primary School Ground, Arumoh Ajegunle.
For an event billed for 9am, it was obvious that the people were eager to participate in the event that was billed to improve their health care and general well-being.
As early as 7am, people had been trooping to the yard of the two-winged mission-owned primary school, for perhaps the first activity of such nature in the neighbourhood. Men, women, and children of all sorts turned up for the event.
With a near-capacity audience at about 9.28am, all was set for the activities of the day.
Soon, a Navy vehicle with registration number MUS 490 EZ, drove into the premises bearing some items of logistics by way of a furniture. It was followed by a grey-coloured Toyota Corolla Urban bus, which also brought some mini-tables and chairs.
The van was bearing the inscription, ‘Obisesan Medical Centre Mobil Road Apapa’, with registration number B03 59 NN.
Pretty much later, the delegation of top naval officers strolled into the yard. It is instructive to note that the event was held even as school was in session and children were busy studying in their classes.
The delegation of naval officers was led by Navy Commodore Edem Duke, a former director of Logistics at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi.
Duke represented the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral R.A Wambai at the occasion.
Introduction over and the Nigerian national anthem rendered collectively, the action began with a speech by Commodore Duke.
He said, as part of its new-focus mandate, the Nigerian Navy is now committed to perfecting strategies to enhance civil-military relations through medical outreaches.
He amplified that, in line with the policy objective of the naval authorities, the new strategy is perched on the need to alleviate the health challenges of the populace and improve social development.
Declaring the outreach open, the FOC admonished the people of the community to take full responsibility for their health by coordinating with the navy to ensure ‘open delivery’.
Wambai said the engagement was one of the sorts arranged to promote healthcare services to the people in the community and beyond.
He listed some of the intervention areas to this end to include free medical consultation and treatment, free laboratory tests, eye and dental check-ups, and de-worming children, as well as the provision of free medical items.
“We shall also be giving out free medical items like eyeglasses and toothbrushes; voluntary counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS shall also be offered,” the FOC said.
According to him, “The Nigerian Navy is also committed to quality health care services offered in a secure and safe environment. Our facilities are open to the public.”
Wambai said the Nigerian Navy has a tradition of regularly reaching out to host communities, as part of measures toward enhancing civil-military cooperation.
He added that it was part of the navy’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a key vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral A.Z. Gambo, which aims at sustaining partnerships and catering to the welfare of Nigerian Navy’s host communities.
“The outreach is therefore organised as part of activities to serve the Nigerian Navy host communities. The outreach is, therefore, organised as part of activities to serve the Nigerian Navy Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objective.
“The community was chosen for its social and economic relevance to national development and her peaceful co-existence with the Nigerian Navy.”
He added, “The outreach is meant to offer primary health care services and some selected secondary health care services to people living in the Arumoh community and beyond.”
Meanwhile, the Navy, through the WNC, says it has mobilised the Obisesan Medical Centre, Apapa, “for the programme of offering health awareness lectures on HIV/AIDS and several other health care services”.
Undertaking a tour of the kit stand later, Duke, on behalf of the FOC, said the aim was to strengthen civil-military relations with all units, as affirmed by the presence of a top official from that department at the occasion.
The traditional authority in the area said they had long been waiting for such an opportunity afforded by the outreach.
A spokesman of the community, who sought anonymity, said the initiative for the project had long been subsisting with the Baaleship within the larger ‘Boundary’ territory. “Today marks a watershed. We thank the Navy for taking time out to come and enlighten our people,” he said.
Mistaking the reporter for a participant, he announces, with glee, “Have you written your name in the register? Others will soon be here.”
Many respondents at the occasion expressed delight at the free medical outreach. “I have never been to this type of occasion like this before,” help us thank the government, Iya Adija, a petty trader told the correspondent.
A female teacher expressed delight that “such a wonderful programme is taking place in our community.” Admiring some of the informational tools on display, “she adds, “I hope they will do it again.”
At the kit display area, a naval officer (lieutenant commander) motioned for the reporter to inspect. “You are very free. Take a tour” he said, as the correspondent was scrutinising some eye ware.
A representative of the school, a male teacher, who spoke on behalf of the principal of school one in the compound, Mrs. Benson, also expressed her concern. Proudly displaying a teaching tablet, he said, “Today marks a difference in our lives. But we have to keep the classes running.” (The school was preparing for the end-of-year matters)
An octogenarian, Pa Kasali, said, “I hope it will continue like this. We have been seeing these kinds of things before, but only on the television. Ijoba ti wa be wa wo, a dupe (the government has come to visit us, we thank them),” he told the reported in vernacular. Others say they were expecting a return.
