The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau Council has partnering with the Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) to provide free eye screening and glasses for journalists in the state.
Dr Suleiman Mshelia, Country Director and Secretary-General of CHAN said that the free eye screening exercise was part of the organisation’s effort to promote journalists’ health and wellbeing.
Mshelia spoke on Tuesday in Jos, when the executive members of the NUJ Plateau Council paid a working visit to CHAN.
The country director said that the screening would provide participants with professional eye examinations, counselling on eye care and provision of medicated glasses and referrals for further treatment where necessary.
He further said that the collaboration with the NUJ was strategic, noting that beyond making CHAN’s interventions more visible, it would also help promote positive behavioural change among the public, which he described as critical to public health.
According to him, CHAN also advocates for the mobilisation of funds from the government and faith-based establishments to support faith-based hospitals.
Mshelia noted that many of the faith based facilities relied largely on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to sustain their operations.
The country director added that the organisation also carried out community-based health programmes, including immunisation programmes , ophthalmology services, maternal and newborn health projects.
He stated that the interventions were aimed at improving healthcare delivery at the grassroots and in communities.
Earlier Mrs Ayuku Pwaspo, Chairperson NUJ Plateau Council congratulated the CHAN Country Director on his appointment.
Pwaspo commended the organisation for its significant contributions to healthcare delivery particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
The chairperson appealed to the organisation to extend some of its health intervention programmes to members of the NUJ, stressing that journalists also required access to quality healthcare services to remain productive.
She further called for a stronger partnership between the NUJ and CHAN to enhance public awareness of the organisation’s interventions and amplify its impact through effective media coverage.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that CHAN is a faith-based, non-profit umbrella organisation that coordinates Christian health facilities across Nigeria.
NAN further reports that in addition to service delivery, CHAN also advocates policies that strengthen faith-based health systems.
The organisation also mobilises resources for member institutions, builds the capacity of healthcare workers and promotes community-based health interventions aimed at improving health outcomes across Nigeria.(NAN)(http://www.nannews.ng)