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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory(FCT), police command has commenced a mental health and medical assessment exercise for officers and men of the command.
The exercise which commenced with personnel under the Metro Area Command, would be extend to other area commands across the FCT, including Life Camp, Kubwa and Kuje.
Flagging the exercise open in Abuja, the Commissioner of Police in the, Ahmed Sanusi, while calling on personnel to take advantage of the program, assured that the outcome of medical results would be confidential and not intended to punish or stigmatise personnel.
The commissioner while noting that the exercise was designed to evaluate the health and stress levels of officers and provide professional medical advice where necessary, said, “We are conducting medical evaluations that cover everything about the health status of officers and men of the FCT Command and also to evaluate their mental status and see their stress level so that the medical team can advise accordingly.”
To ensure that personnel remain fit to carry out their primary duties, Sanusi, said the exercise would become a regular routine under his leadership.
He said, “At least under my watch, I will ensure that every officer and man is being routinely checked. We are not going to do it just one stop. As we conclude, we will allow for a little time after which we assemble again and still screen them because medical issues at times are spontaneous.”
The commissioner, explained that the screening could be conducted bimonthly or quarterly, depending on recommendations from medical professionals, noted that the command had already begun gathering useful data from the exercise to improve planning and support for personnel.
Sanis, who expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the result of the medical examination conducted so far, said “With what I have seen so far, I am very satisfied. Officers have been screened and we are getting good data that we can use in proper planning and also come up with a lot of advice that can assist the force.”
On the concerns that some officers might feel uncomfortable participating in the assessment, Sanusi said the command had carried out sensitisation to assure personnel that the exercise was purely for their wellbeing.
“The intention is not punitive. The intention is not to humiliate them, degrade them or disgrace them.”
He stressed that all medical results would remain private in line with professional ethics.
“Whatever we are doing, even though we are doing it collectively as a force, the result of it is individual to each of them. Nobody will be allowed to know what the result of the other person is. It is private and within the code of conduct of the medical practitioners.”
Sanusi also revealed that many officers had earlier requested free medical check-ups even before the programme was formally introduced.
“Most of these officers and men had already met the various area commanders to request free medical check-ups that would ascertain whatever problem they may be having.”
He said that officers diagnosed with stress-related challenges would receive counselling and guidance on stress management.
“Each and every one of them that does not know how to manage stress level will now be educated on how to manage effectively their stress level.”
