Community and Public Health Science students of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, have taken healthcare services to two rural communities in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The exercise scheduled for twelve weeks is part of the students’ Practical Field Attachment programme to operate in rural communities.
The students who are in 200 and 300 Levels, have mobilised the people of Gaa Alanu and Gbugudu villages for the programme.
Giving insight into the community outreach programme, the acting Head, Public Health Unit, School of Allied Health and Environmental Sciences, Dr Oluwasogo Olalubi, said the programme was designed in collaboration with the University Centre for Community Development.
He added that the population targeted in the two study sites are individuals from 40 years and above, pregnant women and special groups of physically challenged people.
He explained that the programme was aimed at assessing and monitoring the health status and challenges confronting individuals and the general living condition of the community.
“It is also to introduce students to the health status and living condition of rural dwellers and offer suggestions that would improve the people’s health,” he stated.
Dr Olalubi stated that so far, 20 elderly individuals have been screened while demographic data, determinant parameters/indicators of chronic diseases among the elderly people ranging from weight, height, body temperature, blood pressure, blood glucose and other vital signs were measured.
He listed goitre, scrotal hernia, hypertension, insomnia, partial stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis, partial and full blindness, mump, lumps, and asthma as some of the chronic illnesses observed and diagnosed.
On their intervention strategies, he said health education and counselling sessions were conducted on the behavioural habits and predisposing risk factors and likelihood of disease causation, while mild palliative medications were administered free of charge to all individuals screened and diagnosed.
“Cases with pronounced clinical signs and symptoms of chronic prime diseases were referred to the KWASU Health Centre for adequate management,” he said.