As part of activities to mark the celebration of his 55th birthday, Rep. Bamidele Salam organized a free medical and welfare outreach for the elderly in Osun State, which was held on Tuesday specifically within the federal constituency.
No fewer than 1,000 elderly persons and persons with disabilities benefitted from the initiative, which coincides with the International Day of Elderly People.
Health professionals were at three designated centers at Awo, Ejigbo and Ede to attend to both mild and severe cases, while drugs were also available un abundance.
A significant highlight of the event was the distribution of free eye glasses, aimed at addressing vision-related issues among the elderly population. This initiative underscores the commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the elderly and ensuring they have access to vital health resources.
Rep. Bamidele Salam stated that the outreach was initiated last year to fill the gap in healthcare access, particularly due to common economic issues and the rising costs of healthcare and medications. He expressed his appreciation to the Osun State Governor for enrolling pensioners in the State Health Insurance Scheme, emphasizing that the most important step is to place senior citizens on health and food welfare schemes, as many elderly individuals are not educated about their rights and available resources.
Furthermore, he thanked the federal constituency for their support of all the initiatives he has undertaken during his five years of representation in the National Assembly.
The Chief Imam of Ejigbo, Sheikh Kamarudeen Sani commended the lawmaker for remembering the elderly ones in his federal constituency.
Sheikh Sani noted that the outreach will promote health and well-being among the elderly in the community, stating that over 200 beneficiaries from Ejigbo participated in the event. The cleric also emphasized the importance of caring for the elderly and ensuring they receive the attention and support they deserve.
Dr. M. Adebayo, a consultant from the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo highlighted the medical challenges facing the elder ones, which according to her are being attended to by professionals at the outreach.
“Many elderly individuals, due to financial constraints, cannot afford the medical attention they need. However, when a philanthropist like Rep. Bamidele organizes such outreach programs, they come out and benefit from it.
“Issues such as hypertension, high blood pressure, among others are common for these set of people and that’s what we’re attending to holistically. Thanks to Representative Bamidele Salam.”
Beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for the opportunity provided by Rep. Bamidele Salam, praying for blessings upon him for his commitment to supporting the elderly community.
The first edition of the event was held last year and it recorded over 500 beneficiaries across the four local government areas.
