Abuja — Government at all levels, including public-spirited individuals and organisations, have been urged to invest in a stronger primary healthcare in rural communities, as part of measures to safeguard the country.

The appeal was made by the Pastor-in-Charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Gbolade Okenla, during the parish's outreach programme in the Kabusa area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The outreach programme was used to distribute food items and provide medical support for residents in line with the spirit of Christmas.

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Speaking on the occasion, Pastor Okenla disclosed that the gesture was also in line with the vision of the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, for the church to share the love of Christ this season in the country's rural areas.

While disclosing that a total of 6,000 persons benefited from the medical support and gifts of various food items, the clergy urged, "The government should please partner with genuine bodies that have genuine concern for the people, then we would be able to reach out".

Similarly, the church's medical director, Theophilus Ado, said that by providing accessible primary healthcare, secondary healthcare (general hospitals), and tertiary healthcare (teaching hospitals), the country would save funds by achieving a healthier population.

"If we don't do that, we go from prevention to caring - and caring is more expensive," he said.

"The most important thing is healthcare financing; we need a domestic health insurance for the average person," he added.

The beneficiaries in the community received testing and treatment for upper respiratory and lower respiratory tract diseases, hypertension, malaria, skin diseases, eye problems, and tests for diabetes, hepatitis, HIV, e