NGO Urges Government to Enhance Healthcare for Traders

The Joyful Rose Health Initiative, a non-governmental organization, called on the Nigerian federal government to improve healthcare delivery in markets by establishing basic clinics and increasing investment in preventive healthcare. This appeal was made during a medical outreach at Karu Market, Abuja, themed “Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Healthy Traders, Wealthy Market.” Mrs Joy Chioma Nwankwo, Chairperson of the initiative and Deputy Director of Nursing at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, highlighted that many traders lack time to visit hospitals due to their long working hours.

The outreach aimed to assist around 200 traders and addressed healthcare gaps in underserved communities. Nwankwo noted that the absence of nearby health facilities discourages traders from seeking medical care until conditions worsen.

Dr Somto Chukwu-Benson, an internal medicine doctor, identified prevalent health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, stressing the importance of routine medical examinations. The outreach provided free health tests, including blood pressure and blood sugar assessments, and referred cases needing further attention to doctors.