Over 300 inmates to benefit from BSUTH’s free medical outreach

On Dec 17, 2023

The Management of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, has said that over 300 inmates of the Makurdi Maximum Correctional Centre would benefit from its free medical outreach.

The Chief Medical Director of the institution, Dr Stephen Hwande, said that the programme was meant to address the medical and health needs of inmates at the correctional centre.

He was represented at the launch by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Prof. Michael Agbir.

Hwande said the outreach was part of the hospital’s corporate social responsibility to the people.

He acknowledged the efforts of Gov. Hyacinth Alia to reposition the health sector.

“We intend to treat at least 300 inmates with common illnesses, such as intestinal worm infections, skin infections and so on.

“But those we identify with severe diseases like diarrhoea, cough and chronic coughs would be referred to the teaching hospital for more attention and proper treatment,” he said.

The medical outreach tagged: “Alia Health-Care Initiative,” was launched by the hospital on Saturday.

In a remark, the Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service, Benue State Command, Mrs Mary Oche, commended the hospital’s management for organising the outreach.

Oche called for more humanitarian interventions at the centre in order to help meet the basic needs of the inmates.

“I consider myself favoured to receive the team of the medical outreach at my command.

“It’s a thing of pleasure and that is why I came out myself to receive the team.

“I do not take this gesture for granted,” she said.

Oche commended the State Government for allocating land for the construction of the state headquarters of the Correctional Service and the donation of a new transformer to the centre.

She said, “Although there is no outbreak of any disease in the Correctional Centre, the intervention of the hospital is a necessary exercise on the psychology of the inmates, who are currently in confinement.

“You can’t rule out minor ailments among the inmates. Things like rashes, malaria and other diseases.

“We have drugs anyway, but when people come with a gesture like this, you can’t reject it because it will beef up the morale of the inmates since it is through these acts that they will know that people care for them.”