Over 2,000 patients have benefited from a free medical outreach organised by Isiuzo Local Government area in partnership with the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, ESUT Teaching Hospital, Nigerian Medical Association, and NEMEL Pharmaceutical Limited.
The medical outreach, held at the Local Government Secretariat, Ikem, provided free medical consultations, surgeries, and medications to underserved residents.
A team of over 50 doctors, 20 nurses, and 80 other Isiuzo-based health workers attended to patients.
Speaking at the event, the Local Government chairman, Hon. Obiora Obeagu said the initiative was part of his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare access in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s vision.
Pix: Beneficiaries
“Most of our people are suffering from curable diseases, but cannot afford medical care. This outreach is our way of intervening while we work on upgrading health facilities and awaiting the coming on stream of the state’s new primary health centers by the current administration.
“You know that our governor, Dr Peter Mbah, is doing intervention in the area of primary health with Type II Primary Health Centres, which are presently being constructed across the 260 wards in Enugu State. Isiuzo has 11 wards. It means that we are getting 11 PHCs.
Pix: Sone of the medical team
“But I figured that while we are doing this, our people need some health interventions to ameliorate the health challenges, especially since they do not even have money, given the condition of the country now. We said we cannot fold our arms and watch them suffer,” he said.
Obeaguadded that the Isi-Uzo Free Medical Committee would continue organising such outreaches, with plans for larger events in February and quarterly programs across the LGA’s four Development Areas also known as Development Centres.
Speaking, Chairman of the Isi-Uzo Free Medical Committee, Dr Emeka Ogbuabor, described the outreach as a significant step in providing healthcare to rural communities.
“We attended to over 2,000 patients and conducted various surgeries, including for fibroids and lumps. Cases requiring emergency or advanced care were referred to higher facilities. This program will be replicated quarterly across all development areas,” he said.
On her part, wife of the local government chairman, Onyinye Obeagu, said that the purpose of the outreach was to provide succour for hundreds of residents, who could not afford healthcare.
“This maiden edition is to bring healthcare closer to our people. There are different kinds of surgeries going on. Some of our people cannot afford medical care. Everything here is free of charge.
“There are over 2,000 persons here seeking one medical attention or the other. The chairman doesn’t want to wait until the health centres are ready because there are health issues that deteriorate with time. But the good thing is that with what the governor is doing now in all levels of healthcare – primary, secondary, and tertiary, good days are nigh for Ndi Enugu,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Edwin Ede, whose daughter underwent a successful hernia surgery, expressed gratitude to the organizers of the program
He said, “I didn’t have a penny to take my daughter to the hospital, but the government came in and helped me. I am so happy “
Author: Maureen Ikpeama