The Lions Clubs International, District 404 B4, Nigeria, has urged journalists to prioritise their health and undergo regular medical checks to effectively discharge their responsibilities as society’s watchdog.
Patience Ngene, District Governor of Lions Clubs International, District 404 B4, made the call during a medical outreach organised for members of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lagos on Monday.
The outreach was organised to provide free health screening for the journalists.
Ngene commended journalists for their contributions to democracy through information dissemination, promoting accountability and giving voice to the voiceless.
She noted, however, that media practitioners often work under demanding conditions, including tight deadlines, long hours, irregular schedules and constant pressure.
According to her, the stressful nature of journalism makes regular health checks particularly important, as conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can develop without obvious symptoms.
As part of the outreach, journalists were offered free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings to enable them to detect potential health risks early.
She emphasised that knowing one’s health status should be seen as an act of empowerment, urging participants with abnormal results to seek appropriate medical attention and adopt healthier lifestyles.
She urged journalists to take a brief break from their professional duties to attend to their health, stressing that a healthy media workforce would be better positioned to continue serving society effectively.
She said the initiative was in line with the organisation’s global motto, “We Serve”, and its current service theme, “Passion for Service… Service Without Limit”.
“We have been collaborating with NAN for the past three years and we feel it has been helpful to the community,” she said.
Also speaking, Franca Duru, District Leadership Nominee for New Voices and Lions Clubs International Foundation Co-Chairperson, said the outreach comprised three major components.
Duru said these included the distribution of eyeglasses and eye medications, blood pressure checks and blood sugar screening.
She told reporters that the initiative was part of the humanitarian activities of Lions Clubs International, through which the organisation periodically reaches out to poor and vulnerable members of society.
She said the organisation remained committed to extending its humanitarian services to different segments of society.
Lions Clubs International is a global humanitarian organisation involved in charitable activities and community service, particularly in support of vulnerable and underprivileged people.
