In Ebonyi State, over 100 journalists got free health checkups thanks to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state.
The NUJ teamed up with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria to provide this free service.
This health outreach was one of the events to celebrate this year’s Press Week, which has the theme, “The Media Admits Economic Uncertainty.”
The health services included talks about health, checks for blood and sugar levels, hepatitis screening, and dental care.
More than 30 journalists with dental issues got treated by dentists and received advice on how to care for their teeth.
Samson Nwafor, the state chairman of NUJ, said he added this health outreach to the Press Week events because journalists are often too busy to look after their health.
He said: “We included the medical checks in this year’s press week to help our members check their health. Journalism keeps us busy 24 hours a day, and we don’t often have time to go to the hospital for checkups.
“This is why we decided to add health checks this year, and with the help of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, led by Dr. Lillian Nwobashi, it was a success.”
A former chairman of the union, Tony Nwizi, said this outreach was very timely because journalists face a lot of pressure in their jobs, which can affect their health.
“We need to check our health regularly because our work is very demanding and stressful. This health check is part of the 2024 NUJ Press Week,” Nwizi said.
The President of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria in the state, Dr. Lilian Nwobashi, encouraged journalists to always go for health checks to avoid health problems.