Governor Babatunde Fashola

Dr Yewande Adeshina, the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos on Public Health, says plans are at advanced stage to organise a “Wellness Week” to draw attention to comprehensive wellness check.

She told NAN on Friday in Lagos, that the programme was an integrated free health screening to educate people on the need to do a holistic and comprehensive wellness check.

Adeshina stated that the Wellness Week, which would hold between May 11 and May 17, would be held in all the 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) of the state.

According to her, the screening is necessary due to the health and economic loss hypertension, diabetes and cancer pose to both individuals and the government.

“About the state-wide Wellness Week that we celebrate. It is actually a grassroots –community programme.

“We`ve merged Cancer Screening Week, hypertension and Diabetes Screening week. We are trying to teach people how to pay attention to holistic, comprehensive wellness check which should be yearly for any adult.

“And that is how we prevent illness. If we can encourage the culture of prevention, our cost in healthcare will go down very drastically. So, that is what the wellness week is supposed to do.

“We have all these services provided for at our PHCs and our general hospitals. So, we want to create awareness for our citizens that they can access this care.

“Where during one screen, one visit, you get cancer check, you get high blood pressure and diabetes check and we educate on other preventive things that you should be doing for you to maintain your good health.”

The governor’s aide appealed to men and women, who are18 years and above, to take advantage of the programme to have a comprehensive check of their bodies.