•Ebonyi rural dwellers witness unusual Yuletide, get free medical services
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Some leaders of Ebonyi State chose the recent yuletide to give rural dwellers sense of belonging by taking free medical services to their doorsteps.
•Free medical outreach in progress
Wife of the state governor, Mary-Maudlin Nwifuru deployed her pet project, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO), to lead the charge.
BERWO’s medical outreach berthed at Oferekpe Agbaja, Izzi Local Government Area of the State.
She partnered Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and other organizations during the free medical outreach.
She explained that the intervention was in line with the spirit of the season to step down the mandate of her per project to provide better health for rural populace.
Chief Medical Director (CMD) of AE-FUTHA, Prof Robinson Onoh said the exercise was designed to ensure Mrs Nwifuru’s drive of providing basic healthcare delivery was achieved at the grassroots.
He disclosed that the exercise would be carried out in the 13 LGAs of the state.
The free medical services provided eye, dental, general body screenings and other paediatrics, surgical, among others to the beneficiaries.
In Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, the House of Representatives member, Chinedu Ogah distributed drugs to the people.
Heads of the health facilities in Ezza South and Ikwo LGAs that make up the federal constituency, received the drugs.
The benefitting health facilities were AMURT Hospital Item Amagu, AMURT Hospital Okpitumo, Nsokkara health centres, General Hospital, Ikwo, among others.
Ogah who is the Chairman House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, explained that the drugs valued at millions of naira were procured through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to boost the health of the people: “In complementing the efforts of Governor Francis Nwifuru ‘s Charter of Needs and that of Mr President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I procured these drugs through NPHCDA. These drugs should be administered free of charge to anyone in need of them in your various health centres.
“So, those of you that are in charge in the various health centres in my constituency should ensure that the health of the people is improved, through these drugs, all at no cost. This is step two we had done step one at the local government level.”
Medical Director of Ikwo General Hospital, Dr. Nwali James who responded on behalf of other health facility heads, thanked the lawmaker for the gesture and assured that the drugs would be administered to patients as directed, at no cost: “You know before now, the problem in health care centres here is lack of drugs. If you go to our health centres, you will not find even paracetamol but in this administration, the governor has decided to take it as his primary objective to ensure that all the health care centres in the state are functional. And because of that, he has decided to award contracts for renovation and procurement of equipment to all the general hospitals in the state.
“On behalf of heads of health centres, I assure you that since you have provided these drugs, we are going to make sure that they are given to the patients at no cost. These will motivate us to rededicate ourselves to the services of our people.”
In Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, the Dr. Nkemkanma Kama Foundation also provided free medical services to over 11,000 people in the communities that make up the constituency.
The programme began at Oshiri and Isu communities in Onicha LGA and was powered by the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Nkemkanma Kama.
Different medical teams attended to the people in various ways including eye care with free reading glasses, maternal care, paediatric care, gynaecological care, surgical consultation, laboratory investigations and general medical care.
Flagging off the event at Oshiri Central School, Kama noted that it was in fulfilment of his campaign promises to his constituents during the election.
Represented by the House of Assembly member for Onicha East State Constituency, Celestine Ogba, the federal legislator declared that the programme was in tandem with the Peoples Charter of Needs of the governor:
“According to the Peoples Charter of Needs of Governor Francis Nwifuru, health is one of the major needs of the people, so what we are trying to do is to help people in the rural areas access services of modern health care.”
The lawmaker noted that the outreach was all encompassing as those who required further medical treatment or referral will be referred to tertiary hospitals and their bills paid for.
Coordinator of the programme, Dr Napoleon Ekem said the outreach was a unique one: “Generally, medical outreach is aimed at meeting the primary health needs of the people. But in this outreach, we have gone ahead to include some secondary health needs. And that is why we have brought consultants who are specialists is their various fields.
“The categories of health challenges that are targeted include gynaecological problems, paediatric problems, surgical problems, ophthalmological problems and general medical problems.”
A beneficiary, Mrs Okoro Doris, thanked the lawmaker for his benevolence saying that it will go a long way in alleviating the medical challenges faced by the people: “This is a reality. I am having eye problem. I came here and they checked me after which they gave me new eyeglasses and drugs.”