The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Plateau State, in collaboration with the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, has organised a free medical outreach for persons aged 60 and above in Jos.

The outreach, held to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Older Persons, featured free medical consultations, health talks, eye and ear examinations, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, general health screening and provision of basic medications.

The programme was held on October 2, a day after the official International Day of Older Persons, which is observed globally every October 1.

The 2026 celebration is themed “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”

Speaking during the event, Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Ba’amlong, represented by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Stephen Bishmang, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening the health system and ensuring access to healthcare regardless of age, status or circumstance.

Bishmang commended MWAN and the Plateau State Specialist Hospital for organising the outreach, noting that collaboration between government, healthcare professionals and civil society organisations could help improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of older persons.

State President of MWAN, Sekyen Sana, said the initiative was aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of older persons and helping them live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

She noted that ageing is a natural process and should not necessarily be associated with sickness, stress or emotional difficulties.

Sana said MWAN wants older persons to remain healthy, happy and able to enjoy their lives while encouraging them to pay greater attention to their health.

The Chief Medical Director of Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Professor Christopher Yilgwan, represented by Barnabas Saidu, welcomed the beneficiaries and encouraged them to take advantage of available healthcare services.

He also urged retirees and older persons who had not been enrolled in the state health insurance programme to make enquiries and register so they could access available medical services.

Saidu stressed the importance of regular health checks, noting that medical conditions can be identified and treated more effectively when detected early.

Also speaking, the Plateau State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr Shainan Andrew, pledged continued collaboration with MWAN and other stakeholders to expand healthcare interventions for older persons.

Andrew encouraged the beneficiaries to seek medical advice, ask questions about their health and take advantage of available healthcare services.

One of the beneficiaries, Da Samuel Davou, expressed appreciation to the organisers for providing the free medical services.

The organisers appealed to government agencies, non-governmental organisations, companies and other stakeholders to support similar initiatives to enable more older persons to access healthcare and enjoy healthier lives.

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Bayelsa Queens secured their first victory of the ongoing Governor Diri Women’s Preseason Tournament after defeating Imo Striker Queens 2–0 at the Samson Siasia Stadium, with the Flamingos winger Alaba Olabiyi showcasing a huge performance in the game.

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Sports247 reports that the Prosperity Girls produced a composed performance to claim all three points, with goals from Alaba Olabiyi and Ramata Kareem proving decisive in the encounter.

Olabiyi opened the scoring with a 45th-minute effort, giving Bayelsa Queens the advantage heading into the interval and providing the Prosperity Girls with the perfect platform to build on after a competitive opening half.

Bayelsa Queens continued to press after the restart and were rewarded seven minutes into the second half when Ramata Kareem found the back of the net in the 52nd minute to double their advantage.

The two-goal cushion gave the Prosperity Girls greater control of the contest as they managed the remainder of the game to secure a valuable victory over Imo Striker Queens.

The result represents Bayelsa Queens’ first win at the Governor Diri Women’s Preseason Tournament and provides an encouraging start as the team continues preparations for the new competitive campaign.

The tournament is providing participating clubs with an important opportunity to assess their squads, build match fitness and test new combinations ahead of the season.

For Bayelsa Queens, attention will now turn to a demanding run of fixtures against three different opponents.

The Prosperity Girls are scheduled to face Delta Queens and Edo Queens, two familiar names within Nigeria’s women’s football landscape, before taking on C2E Sports Academy, the recently crowned NWFL Nationwide Champions who have secured promotion to the second tier of the women’s league.

The upcoming fixtures will offer Bayelsa Queens further opportunities to assess their squad against varying styles of opposition while continuing their preparations.

Following the victory over Imo Striker Queens, the Prosperity Girls will be hoping to maintain their momentum and build on the confidence generated by their first win of the tournament.

With Olabiyi and Kareem already on the scoresheet, Bayelsa Queens will now look to their next fixtures as the Governor Diri Women’s Preseason Tournament continues at the Samson Siasia Stadium.