The Ilorin Emirate Medical Doctors Group (IEMDG) has treated more than 1000 patients in the last one year free of charge.

It also gave free drugs to beneficiaries, its vice-president, Dr Abdulkadir Ahmed, told newsmen in Ilorin on Saturday.

He spoke on the side-lines of the group's 2022 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference.

Ahmed said the group also treated about 500 patients for free as part of its community outreach at Balogun Gambari community in Ilorin.

Ahmed said the group conducted career counselling in schools during the period.

He noted that economic hardships had impacted negatively on the ability of many to access medical care and pleaded with philanthropists to assist the indigent to enrol in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

He explained that with N6,000 an individual could enrol in the scheme and access health services.

Ahmed is also the chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association in Kwara.

In his remarks, Dr Suleiman Adana, deputy secretary of the IEMDG, said it was poised to give back to the society and stressed the need for health education in communities.

He observed that health literacy level was low in communities and pledged that the group would continue to reach out to the grassroots.

A member of the group, Dr Ahmed Abdullahi of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, also urged well-meaning Nigerians to give back to the society by funding the enrolment of the indigent in the NHIS.

The group was established in 2016 and has 300 members within the country and in the diaspora.

NAN