APC launches emergency health outreach, plans community expansion

Cyril Mbah, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched an emergency health outreach for its staff as part of a new welfare initiative aimed at promoting occupational and environmental health within the party.

The APC Emergency Aid Team, inaugurated on July 26 under the Office of the Deputy National Chairman, is designed to provide basic medical checks and referrals for party workers.

Deputy Coordinator of the team, Citizen Greg Odogwu, said in an interview that the initiative started with secretariat staff and will later be extended to states, local governments and ward secretariats across the country.

Odogwu explained that the move reflects the party’s commitment to social reform, noting that welfare, particularly in health, is fundamental to a progressive organization.

“Before now, there was no emergency health system whereby if somebody suddenly falls ill, that will be attended to. It has been in the pipeline to have a clinic. But we decided as an outreach to start to give that basic help to the staff,” he said.

He said the team conducts basic vital checks for staff and refers those with abnormal readings to partner hospitals and clinics. The outreach is coordinated by Dr. Kingsman Chekelo, Special Adviser to the Deputy National Chairman on Medical.

According to Odogwu, findings from the initial screenings show that many staff had never checked their vital signs before and were unaware of their health status until the intervention.

He added that another challenge discovered was the reluctance of some staff to consult doctors, largely due to cost concerns.

To address this, the party plans to establish a Health Management Organization (HMO) structure for staff and eventually for all party members. The HMO will help manage treatment costs, with possible support from the party where necessary.

Odogwu said the long-term vision is to expand the outreach beyond the party to communities, schools, churches, and other institutions around APC offices nationwide.

“The fundamentals is the staff of the party for now. Then, we go to support groups, then to state, local government, ward structures. But the communities that are attached to them, we partner with them because you cannot have a political organization without the community,” he stated.

He noted that a full report of the findings will be submitted to the party and later made public.

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