Ekiti Health Commissioner Urges Hygiene, Regular Medical Checks

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, has described personal and environmental hygiene as cost-effective measures for preventing diseases and improving the quality of life.

Filani stated this on Thursday while flagging off a three-day Health Awareness and Medical Outreach organised by Optimal Health and Peacemakers Community Development Foundation in collaboration with the Ekiti State Government.

The commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Olusola Gbenga Igotun, said maintaining a clean environment was a shared responsibility of government, community leaders, health professionals and individuals.

He said government had the responsibility to provide infrastructure, sanitation facilities, waste management systems and safe water, while community leaders should mobilise residents to maintain clean surroundings.

Filani urged residents to undergo regular medical checks and seek early treatment rather than waiting until they became seriously ill before visiting health facilities.

He encouraged residents to take advantage of the free screening services provided through the outreach, engage with healthcare professionals and follow up appropriately on any health condition detected.

“Please check yourself. Don’t wait until you are bedridden before you seek to know your health status,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Kayode Olabanji, said disease prevention remained central to the state government’s health agenda.

Olabanji said reducing preventable infections would help families save on treatment costs, reduce school absenteeism, improve productivity and enable health facilities to devote more resources to specialised care.

He urged residents to make personal and environmental cleanliness a daily habit by washing their hands properly, keeping their bodies and clothes clean, maintaining hygienic toilets and safe water sources, and disposing of waste responsibly.

The CMD also advised residents to eliminate stagnant water around their homes and ensure that food was properly prepared and protected.

The Chief Executive Officer of Optimal Health, Dr Abraham Hollist, said his personal experience managing sickle cell disease had inspired his commitment to preventive healthcare.

Hollist said his first son was born with sickle cell disease, adding that consistent health management and a holistic approach to care helped keep him out of hospital during the first five years of his life.

He said the experience motivated him to apply similar preventive strategies to other chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes and stroke.

Hollist urged residents to be proactive about their health by knowing their health status and seeking medical attention early.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Julianah Ojo, commended the organisers for the intervention, saying it would contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of residents.

The outreach featured health education, free blood sugar and blood pressure screening, eye tests and distribution of drugs to beneficiaries.