The Yobe Government, in collaboration with development partners on Tuesday inaugurated an Integrated Medical Outreach Programme (I-MOP) to improve immunisation and other Primary Healthcare services.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammed Gana, said during the inauguration in Damaturu that “I-MOP is Federal Government’s initiative aimed at bringing succour to underserved Nigerians, especially mothers and children of age zero to two years.
“The integrated medical outreach intervention is targeting places with under-served and hard to reach communities in providing free Primary Health Care services so as to increase access to immunisation and other essential health services.
“There is no doubt that the I-MOP strategy will help to bridge existing gaps, especially in displaced populations to strengthen primary healthcare services.”
Gana noted that all health facilities in the implementing council areas of the state would remain open from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. daily during the five days of the intervention, providing free medical services.
Some of the services, the commissioner said, included immunisation, treatment of minor ailments, screening for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), general medical consultation and minor surgeries.
The commissioner said that the programme would be carried out in all the 17 local government areas of the state, utilising 830 I-MOP teams and medical outreaches in two centres in each of the three senatorial districts.
He urged Yobe people to access the free services and reassured them of the state government’s determination to give priority attention to healthcare.
He said the gesture was a milestone toward achieving Universal Health Coverage and health related sustainable development goals.
