Pyrates Tackle Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery Gaps With Free Medical Mission

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has maintained that its NAS Medical Mission is to bridge the gap in the shortfall of healthcare delivery in Nigeria, especially in rural areas. The NAS Capn, Dr Charles Meribole, speaking at the Flag-off of a recent free Medical Mission at Igbo- Efon (Primary Healthcare Centre PHC), Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, within the Hispaniola Deck of the Association, disclosed that the mission is to improve the quality of healthcare delivery in local communities.According to him, the central message of the NAS Medical Mission is to preach affordable Medicare for all Nigerians. He maintained that good healthcare starts at the primary level, and NAS/PC, through the NAS Medical Mission, will continue to offer its services to complement the efforts of government. ‘’We seek to improve the quality of primary healthcare in Nigeria through the NAS Medical Mission. We are at Igbo Efon under our deck at Hispaniola. This initiative would foster and strengthen our commitment to our local environment as part of the efforts to ensure our local chapters influence their local environment positively,” he said.‘’As a trained medical doctor and leader of the association worldwide, I am very happy to be part of the process. We will continue to sustain the NAS Medical Mission and ensure everyone around us feels the impact of what we do. The whole idea is to preach affordable medical care at primary health care. This is because good health starts at the primary level. Our NAS medical mission is to complement the efforts of the government to improve the quality of our healthcare.’’ The NAS Second Mate, who is the Chief Programme Officer of the organisation, Olorogun Bart Akelemor, also stated that ‘’About 16 years ago, we identified a shortfall in Nigeria’s health system: people at the grassroots lacked access to quality healthcare, including trained health professionals. So, we launched NAS Medical Mission as a Special Purpose Vehicle of the NAS/PC to reach indigent people in rural areas and provide medical support, and our primary function is to use what we see on the ground to collate data for healthcare advocacy. That is the primary reason we commenced the NAS Medical Mission, which has transformed over the years.” Part of the plans of the NAS Medical Mission is to be able to build health facilities in local areas where people can have access as the bigger picture and the organisation has made considerable progress, hoping that donors join them in this effort. The NAS Medical Pyrate, Dr Emmanuel Okpetu, also noted thatWhile Lekki is one of the most urbanised areas in Lagos, that does not mean it does not have rural and semi-urban areas or less privileged areas that lack access to quality healthcare. According to him “We are not offering everything and we are nor promising everything, but we are saying the little we can offer based on the expertise we are offering, can go a long way to supporting rural inhabitants.” This NAS Free Medical Mission was part of the activities marking the beginning of the First Quarter Pyrates Working Council Mit (PWC) held in Eti-Osa LGA in Lagos State.