MLS students offer Sokoto residents free medical treatment

Medical Laboratory Science students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) offered Sokoto residents free treatment during their recent medical outreach titled "Whispers of Wellness".

The event provided free medical treatment and tests to residents of Bazza community at Comprehensive Care Centre, Sokoto North LGA, last week 

The outreach featured a range of services, including checkups, hepatitis testing, genotype and blood group screening, as well as sputum screening for GeneXpert analysis

During the outreach, hepatitis B and blood group screenings were conducted for 150 residents. Sputum samples were collected from 30 subjects and sent to the Immunology Lab at UDUTH for Gene Xpert analysis, while a few samples were sent to the Hematology Lab for genotype screening

Muhammad Auwal Abdullahi, the chairman of the outreach program, in an interview with VANGUARD PRESS, explained that the goal was not only to treat illnesses but also to educate the community about health.

He stressed the need to enlighten people on health conditions, especially for diseases like hepatitis, which he noted is more dangerous than HIV.

"Medical outreach is an opportunity to raise awareness, offer free medical tests, and inform people about their health status," said Abdullahi.

Abdullahi appreciates the support received from the school management, students, alumni, Mr Umar Faruk Abdullahi of Health System Consult Limited, Mr Rufai Abubakar, UDUTH Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Dr Amina Jega of Pharmacy Department, and Mr Muhammad Yusuf Maccido, Sokoto State's Commissioner of Solid Minerals

Speaking on the benefits of student participation, he said it gives them the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of what is taught in class.

He added that the event is one of the ways the Nigerian Medical Laboratory Science Students' Association (NIMELSSA–UDUS Chapter) builds unity among its members and helps junior students learn from their senior colleagues.

Ibrahim Gali, a 200-level student from the School of Medical Laboratory Science, who spoke with our correspondent about his experience, shared his concern about the complications associated with these health conditions.

Gali explained that hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and spreads through contact with infected blood or through unprotected sex, among other means.

"It often has no early symptoms," he noted, "so most people don't easily notice it when they're infected."

Gali recommended vaccination as the best preventive method.

Similarly, Saidu Abdulrahman, a final-year student who serves as the association's president, spoke in support of creating awareness, attributing it to a high chance of reducing stigmatization.

Abdulrahman further urged students to participate in community services.

Ibrahim Abubakar, a 100-level student who found the program educative, spoke on why health screening should be prioritized.

"Human health is invaluable," he says.

Additionally, Hassan Hammed Olarenwaju, a 300-level student who serves as the Assistant Academic Director, beseeched the school management for support to reach local communities on a broader scale.

Olarenwaju noted that the 150 test strips transported to Bazza community were used to test for the variants of hepatitis

He sees the outreach as a means of giving back to the community but believes more should be done

Citing the support received from the Haematology and Immunology Service Lab at UDUTH, he said sponsorship from NGOs and the state government would greatly help conduct outreaches in more local communities where access to medical care is limited.