Anglican Church offers free medical checks to women in Anambra

By Joy Mbachi

All the 850 participants in the 37th annual conference of the Anglican women’s conference will undergo medical checks, offered by the Women’s Ministry of the Anglican Communion, Diocese of Awka, Anambra.

Dr Chiazo Anyachebelu, Deputy Director, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical Centre, who is co-ordinating the outreach, urged women to avail themselves of the opportunity.

Anyachebelu announced this on Saturday at the ongoing 37th Diocesan Women’s Conference (ADWOC) and the Second Women’s Guild conference at St Stephen’s Parish, Ifitedunu Community, Dunkofia Local Government Area of Anambra.

Anyachebelu said that the Diocesan president of the Women’s Ministry, Mrs Chioma Ibezim, included free medical check as part of the conference programme to boost the living standard of women.

She disclosed: “We are to check their blood pressure and other ailments and advice appropriately to achieve good health of the women.

“We are doing screening to avoid any infections that can take members lives prematurely.

“There is also a high rate of cervical cancer amongst women and other infections that can claim lives of members so we want to checkmate them

“We are doing breast examinations for earl detection of lump as this could lead to cancer and even if the lump is already detected, the right medical advice would be offered to the person,” she said.

Anyachebelu said that early detection of any infections in the body would be treated and premature death cam be avoided.

“Please you need to know your body status medically to avoid sudden death, unchecked blood pressure, diabetes, among others, can cause sudden death,” she said.

Dr Oluchukwu Udezo, a principal medical officer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Ukpo annexe, appealed to women to take routine medical checkup seriously.

Udezo said that most women are busy chasing money without taking care of their health and appealed to the women to give attention to their health in order to be alive to enjoy the friuts of their labour.

Mrs Ngozi Mbanisi, one of the medical officers, commended the women for agreeing to come for screening, saying that the programme achieved its goal of inclusion into the women conference as many have received referral papers for further medical care.

“Some women that came for this screening exercise have been informed of infections they were unaware of, and have been referred to the appropriate medical facilities for further attention,” she said.

Mrs Violate Ohamara, from Adazi Ani Archdeaconry, said the medical programme is the first of its kind during their annual conference.

Ohamara sad: “We have been advised by our president to routinely check our health but most times we fail due to the lack of knowledge that routine checks are important.

“I am happy I keyed into the free medical check and was certified fine by the doctors on duty,”she said.

Mrs Chinelo Okoronkwo, another beneficiary, said she was examined for signs of cervical cancer, but was cleared.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four-day conference ends on Sunday, June 25.

(NAN)