The Chapel of the Divine Physician and St. Luke, Idi – Araba, has organised a series of free health checks for worshippers and visitors as part of its annual end of year programme.
The event, which took place at the Church premises attracted people from all walks of life including passers-by.
Speaking to The Next Edition on the reasons behind the health checks, Rev. Fr. Michael Aghadi Onu, SJ, the Chaplain, explained, “We have our annual end of year events which culminate in our agape. Within it, we have education, service and, of course, our worship.
“Sometime ago, we had our health talk on the theme of depression – that’s education. Then our service is to provide health checks for people who may not ordinarily afford these checks and from there referrals are made to the hospital.
“Come this Saturday, we will have our health walk where we exercise ourselves. All these are integrated within spirituality – worship of God. It’s not just health care for health care, but worship of God, serving God in spirit, in body, in fullness of life,” the Chaplain said.
According to the Chaplain the whole package aims at forming a well rounded individual. “At the end of it all, we are looking at the integrated person, the wellbeing of the person. The person who is alive is the person who can praise God. So to be alive in the body so that the spirit can rise up to God, we take care of the body. When we come for our agape in Thanksgiving for everything; for health, for life, we are able to face the next year, Fr. Aghadi Onu said.
Dr. Osinachi Onyeoziri, Head, Business Development, Managed Health Services (MHS), a health Maintenance organization and co- sponsors of the event, advised participants to invest in their health through insurance as they stood to gain a lot of benefits.
READ ALSO: DMO opens November FGN Savings Bond Auction
He said, ” One of the benefits of health insurance is that you have your health secured. If you find yourself in a health challenge, it will save you the trouble of going around looking for money to pay your bills.”
He told the Next Edition that their participation at the event was borne out of concern for the health and well-being of members of the Chaplaincy community, as well as their corporate social responsibility.
Some of the checks ran at this year’s programme include; blood pressure, weight, height, blood sugar, blood pressure, body fat, visceral fat, muscle Energy, BMI, among other.
Some of the participants shared their thoughts with the Next Edition. Mr. Ademola Philips Adetunji of the Redeemed Christian Church, said,”It has been a very good programme. It helps to enlighten people and make them aware of the state of their health and from there they can go to the hospital for more comprehensive health checks. It is also a good CRS for the church. Of course, CRS is part of the history of the Catholic Church.”
Mrs. Nwando Okorie rated the programme high and successful “because it was well organised, the tests were done well, the health care givers attended to us nicely and gently and they had time to answer questions and where there was a need, we had the opportunity of follow up from the counseling units.”
In the years past, such topics as diabetes, sudden death, prostrate health, among others, have been treated as part of the church health service programme.
