Area M Command Police Officers Partner With Security Experts & Pharmacists To Enhance Healthcare & Professionalism

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE 

Police officers of the Area ‘M’ Command in Idimu, Lagos led by the Area Commander, ACP Tokunbo Abaniwonda, have embarked on sensitization on the importance of prioritising their health through regular check-ups, healthy habits, and stress management in order to serve their communities effectively.

Thus, the Command has partners with The Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) and security expert, Femi Aratokun-Ale to achieve the feat of healthy life and improved performance in the discharge of their lawful duty.

The 2-day health event by the PSN was held on 25th and 26th August, 2025, at the Area M Command conference hall. It attracted both senior and juniors officers with focus on health awareness, wellness, and the role of pharmacists in the community.

The health facilitator for day one of the event noted that regular health check-ups and healthy lifestyle habits (sleep, hydration, exercise, and diet) and managing stress and mental health and monitoring vital signs (blood pressure and blood sugar) are key factors in creating a healthy lifestyle. Focus was laid on health awareness, wellness, and the role of pharmacists in maintaining healthy life.

The health educator said, “The health event was organized to educate on the importance of following prescriptions correctly as well as incorporate health awareness in the daily routine, visit community pharmacies for simple checkups and learn about medications and supplements”.

“Pharmacists, on the other hand, will readily provide education on diet, exercise, rest, and stress management, and work with medical doctors and healthcare experts to provide referrals.”

“Healthy living, chronic disease care and emergency medicine, keeping a close watch on vital signs like blood pressure and sugar levels. Regular checks can help catch issues before they become serious.”

“High blood pressure, diabetes, poor sleep, chronic insomnia, and constant stress and fatigue are common issues in the military due to the nature of their jobs. People may skip meals, eat unhealthily, and have long walking hours, which can lead to backaches and joint pain.”

“Early detection is key to preventing health issues, such as constant headaches, unusual fatigue, and poor posture. It is crucial to recognise and address these issues early to prevent further complications.”

“People should be more focused on maintaining good health and avoiding unnecessary stress; individuals can better support themselves and others in their communities.”

The health educator conclusively shared tips on managing stress, including deep breathing exercises, and encouraged officers to prioritise their health for their own well-being in order to serve their communities effectively.

ACPN Lagos representatives donated free medical kits, including a first aid box and a BP machine, to the Area M command for medical checkups. They also distributed free healthcare products as well as conducted free medical checkups for participating officers of the Command.

The security expert, Femi Aratokun-Ale, spoke on ways of exploring community policing and security issues in Nigeria during the Master Class Security Training Programme.

He emphasized the importance of community policing, state policing, and security issues in Nigeria and explored ways to reduce crime and improve security and ways to achieve it in the society.

Aratokun-Ale highlighted some potential benefits of community policing including building trust between law enforcement and the community, improving communication, and increasing cooperation.The role of Police in leadership and the challenges they face were also discussed.

The climax of the event was the health walk held on Tuesday, 26th August, 2025, by the Police officers led by the Area Commander, ACP Tokunbo Abaniwonda.