In an attempt to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on the people, a philanthropist, Otunba Yomi Akingbade on Thursday provided free medical services to no fewer than 5000 underprivileged persons in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The beneficiaries also received food items and clothes provided by the Akure-born philanthropist through his organization, Otunba Yomi Akingbade Foundation (OYAF).

Major beneficiaries of the largesse are aged citizens from 60 years and above, youths and mostly vulnerable people.

They received medical tests on blood pressure and blood sugar and they were given medical consumables free.

Also, they were given health education on chronic and preventive diseases, healthy eating and health living, dementia and memory loss awareness, hypertension, cholera and diabetes.

Addressing newsmen at the event, the organiser, Otunba Yomi Akingbade, who is based in the United States of America(USA), said the gesture became necessary considering the current economic situation in the Nigeria.

He said the main purpose of the outreach is to touch lives by providing basic health education for people to take control of their health and to offer free healthcare consultation services with free medicines to those who could not afford routine general medical check-ups or treatment.

Akingbade said: “I did this for my people because I grew up in this town and the community has helped me a lot in this environment and this is the best time for me to give back to my community.

“I have a call to reach out to the underprivileged around me, which is why we are holding this medical outreach for our people.

“We decided to bring healthcare services closer to the people at no cost at all because it is a known fact that access to medicare is a big challenge in Nigeria.

“A lot of people with one underlying ailment or the other are dying in silence because they cannot afford the hospital bills.

“We all know that health is wealth, and about 5000 people are benefitting from the free medical outreach.

“As a matter of fact, we need to improve on our health sector, we should all be able to have access to quality healthcare in this country.

“I pray that we should have a good governance so that our health sector can be improved upon. I have spent almost N50million and I didn’t do this for any political motive, I want to give back to my community and the underprivileged people and we will be doing it quarterly for us to be helping people medically and others.”