Fides Media Living the Faith
By Abuchi Onwumelu
The Rise Clinic, Adazi-Ani, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, in collaboration with Neurosurgery Specialist Hospital, Abuja and North Bay Medical Centre, U.S.A., has ended a Two-Day Stroke Awareness Workshop with a call on Ndi Anambra to be conscious of their health and always go for medical checkups.
The Two-Day Stroke management workshop tagged, ”Stroke: Burden on Society and Way Forward”, was held at Rise Clinic premises in Adazi- Ani. The event featured lectures, talks from seasoned medical experts, including the chief of Neurosurgeon and Director of North Bay Centre for Neuroscience, Fairfield, California, U.S.A, Dr. Zusman.
Declaring the event open, the convener of the workshop, Dr. Emeka Okeke, thanked the participants for coming out en masse to partake in the exercise, noting that it was organized mainly for the poor and average individuals who could not get access to information on the dangers of stroke and related ailments.
Dr. Okeke, a son of foremost transporter, Chief G.U. Okeke, said he was glad to see people coming to listen to professionals rather than engaging in frivolities, noting that part of the reasons why the hospital was sited in Adazi-Ani was to bring healthcare closer to the rural dwellers. This was even as he said that they specialized in stroke management and prevention.
‘I am so happy seeing this crowd here. I am highly impressed. This is not a political forum where rice and money are shared; yet, we have this number. I am encouraged. Meanwhile, this is not our first time of organising this type of workshop here in Adazi. We did a similar thing when we created epilepsy awareness,’ Dr. Okeke said.
Speaking on the topic, ”Early Stroke Presentation and Management”, Dr. Anaje emphasized on regular checkups and good eating habits, noting that unexamined food consumption could lead to excess fat in the body, thereby making the person prone to stroke.
Speaking on Stroke Initiative for Anambra State, Dr. Zusman said they were open to partnership with the state government, noting that stroke related ailments were now on the increase and should be addressed. He said that they were ever ready to educate the people on how to prevent and manage stroke.
Earlier in a remark, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Health Insurance, Mr. Dozie Okpalaugo, lauded the organizers for the noble initiative, saying that the government of Anambra had invested so much on health and assured that they would also partner Rise Clinic to enable them to achieve their set objectives.
In their separate lectures, the Chief Physiotherapist, NAUTH, Nnewi, Dr. Ezeigwe Chukwudi Francis and the NAUTH’s Dietician, Umeugo Jane, spoke on the importance of regular exercise, especially dancing and dieting.
The representatives from the Nigeria Police, Road Safety, NSCDC, OCHA Brigade, ATMA, nursing students, midwives, nutritionists, Doctors, and health care givers, as well as medical students, were all in attendance.
Interaction, questions and answers formed the highlights of the Two-Day workshop.