…as 2025 Udiroko festival enters day three with health talk, medical checkup
The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Ikole-Ekiti, Professor Dare Ogunlusi has advised the elderly in Ekiti State to always seek medical advice from experts before taking drugs for ailments.
Ogunlusi made the call in Ado-Ekiti while speaking as a Guest Lecturer during a health talk and medical checkup program as part of activities marking the week-long 2025 Udiroko festival.
The medical checkup for the elderly, comprising the Ewi-in-Council include; blood pressure and vital signs, blood sugar test, chest X-ray, cervical screening (for women), consultation and free medications.
The medical expert, who delivered his lecture titled: “Fall and its Consequences in Elderly,” emphasized the need of avoiding self-medication and building strong relationships with healthcare providers for consistent care.
He urged the participants to always prioritize their health through regular medical checkup and exercises while outlining some major causes of fall among the elderly to include; age-related decline, health conditions and medications.
According to him, “falls are a major cause of hospital admissions among the elderly which can result in multiple injuries. Age-related decline – vision and hearing loss, slower reflexes, parkinson disease, muscle weakness, balance problems become more prevalent with age.
“Some medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness or confusion, leading to falls. Multiple drugs interaction – we have to be careful how many drugs we are taking. They should never allow the elderly to be living alone because the fall might be inevitable with advancing age and disease.”
In the same vein, a Consultant Cardiologist at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Dr. Ojo Opeyemi, who spoke on “Using Numbers to Mitigate Cardiovascular Risk,” called for appropriate measures to prevent and reduce the avoidable treatable risk factors associated with CVD.
Also, a Consultant Family Physician at EKSUTH, Dr. Jolayemi Temitope tasked the participants to always engage in periodic medical examination against avoidable diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer, among others.
On her part, Eyesorun Bosede Adejugbe, wife of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, advised the chiefs to always prioritize healthy lifestyles, including proper diet, regular exercise, and medical examination.
According to her, “the health talk is a beautiful one because for those of them that are unworried, they have come to learn how to take care of themselves and have some time for themselves, visit the hospital when it is necessary and not staying at home for self-medication.”
High Chief (Professor) Sunday Akindele, the Elemo of Ado-Ekiti and Chairman, Udiroko Planning Committee emphasized that the health talk is targeted at ensuring that the people are healthy to celebrate the festival.
He seized the opportunity to declare their readiness to hold an epoch-making historical event adding that preparations have been put in place to celebrate the festival.
