487 Nigerian returnees from Libya to be screened medically – Adewole
The Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole has directed the 487 Nigerian returnees from Libya to be screened before returning to their respective States.
Speaking while receiving the second batch of the returnees at the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Minister charged the medical team on ground to ensure that the number screened tally with the expected number contained in the manifest provided by NEMA and FAAN authorities.
Adewole also inspected the camp setup for the returnees through the collaborative effort of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Port Health Service Division of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), The Nigerian Police, Rivers State Command, Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), and the Red Cross Society.
Adewole, who had earlier sent a team from the Ministry in Abuja to strengthen the health response at the camp, said, the purpose of his visit was to ascertain the level of medical services rendered and to also determine if there were gaps.
He informed that the effort so far recorded by the combined team showed that the team was well constituted and that adequate plans and preparation made for the job.
According to him, the Federal government through all the relevant Agencies and the Federal Ministry of health was determined to make things better for the returnees and poised to see how they could benefit from what the country has to offer.
The Minister advised that, a counselling unit must be set up to provide psycho-social services, in that, quite a number of them must have been traumatized by the unwholesome experience they suffered while in libya.
He added that the medical team at the camp needed a mobile X-tray machine and ICT unit to ensure proper and thorough screening and documentation.
“This is the only way to achieve a comprehensive medical screening and also decongest the UPTH as some medical cases could be handled at the camp thereby reducing the number of the referrals to the Teaching hospital”.
He commended NEMA staff for their commitment and dedication and advised them to reach out to State Governors yet to pick up their indigenes medically cleared so far and fit to be reintegrated into the society.
Doosuur Iwambe – Abuja
