Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — French oil firm, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, TEPNG, on Wednesday, donated essential drugs to nine health centres in offshore neighbouring communities in Rivers State, as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The health centres are, Orogbum Health Centre, Ngo Health Centre, Nkoro Health Centre, Okoroboile Health Centre, Opobo Health Centre, Elekahia Health Centre, Minima Health Centre, Asarama Hospital and Inyoron Health Centre, all in Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
This is as the multinational oil firm also carried out a healthy living awareness campaign and physical exercise, with the theme, ‘Physical Fitness, Walk for Life’ for her host communities, in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the NNPC/TEPNG Healthy Living Awareness Campaign/Drug Donation to health centres for host communities, Total Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District, Mr Guillaume Dulout, said Campaign is one of the key public health programmes that the company supports annually, for the benefit of its host communities.
Dulout represented by the Head, Health and Women Development, Community Affairs and Development Divison, Mr Goodnews Mbonu, said the health awareness campaign was imperative, in order to draw the attention of its stakeholders to very easily overlooked health conditions and lifestyles.
He explained that the physical exercise session, screening and presentation done today was aimed at creating awareness, which would engender effective and sustainable lifestyle and habit changes that will help in preventing most medical emergencies.
In his words, “We use occasions like this to draw the attention of our stakeholders to very easily overlooked health conditions and lifestyles that can deprive them of their wellness and confine them to sickbeds in hospitals, sometimes with fatal consequences.
“The objective of today’s programme is to raise awareness on topical public health concerns and this year’s theme is ‘physical fitness, walk for life.’
“In addition to this theme, we shall also be donating essential drugs to nine health centres in Rivers offshore communities. This is in furtherance of our commitment to partnering with the Rivers State Government in delivering free curative health care services to the citizens in our host and neighbouring communities of the state.
“It is our hope that the residents of our host communities as well as personnel in the health institutions, will avail themselves the opportunities of these programmes, in order to compliment the efforts that are being made to ensure a healthy population,” Total said.
Earlier, the facilitator of the programme, Aliocha Medical Centre Nigeria Ltd., represented by Dr. Eyo Ekpe, explained the benefits of physical exercise as well as the health problems that could arise as a result of excessive sedentary lifestyle.
Ekpe who is an Associate Professor and Chief Consultant at the University of Uyo, said lack of physical exercise can lead to stroke, obesity, hypertension, back pain, cardiovascular problems, etc, while encouraging participants to set realistic fitness goals.
“Regular brisk walking can help you maintain a healthy weaight, prevent or manage various conditions, including hearth disease and high blood pressure, strengthen your bones and muscles, improve your mood and improve your balance and coordination.
“Regular exercise helps us to be physically fit and physically active. Exercise reduces depression and anxiety, reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.”
