NGO Offers Free Medical Care to 100 Persons in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

No fewer than 100 persons living with chronic leg ulcer and High Blood Pressure (HBP) are to benefit from a four-day free medical treatment in Fugar, Edo State.

The free health medical treatment organised by the Okakagbe Foundation in collaboration with an America-based ‘Charity Wound Care Foundation’ is aimed at providing the free treatment to the patients.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Okakagbe Foundation, Mr. Richard Anatekhai, gave the number of the projected beneficiaries at the recent flag-off in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo.

“We are targeting over 100 persons to benefit from the free medical treatment of chronic leg ulcer and all sort of relative wound diseases,” he said.

According to him, the treatment was aimed at providing succour to people living with chronic ulcer and HBP who could not afford the treatment, stressing that the motive of the exercise was to help the indigent people in the rural communities who could not afford to seek medical attention.

On her part, the Clinical Director, Charity Wound Care Foundation, (America), Dr. Joyce Aghedo, described chronic leg ulcer as a break in the skin of the leg, which allows air and bacteria to get into the underlying tissue.
“The disease is caused by an injury, often a minor one that breaks the skin. The most common underlying problem causing chronic leg ulcers is disease of the veins of the leg”, she stated.

Aghedo, a wound specialist noted that the increasing rate of chronic leg ulcer in the country necessitated her foundation to visit Nigeria and offer free medical treatment.

She said “Our visit to Nigeria is to provide free treatment to people living with the disease and to reduce the number of persons suffering from chronic leg ulcer”.

She however, advised the general public to take care of their skin and seek for a wound specialist for treatment of leg ulcer.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Okakagbe Foundation Mr. Solomon Obomighie commended the founder, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe who because of passionate feelings for his people decided to bring doctors from America to treat his people living with chronic leg ulcer and HBP free.

He said at the end of the four-day programme, the doctors are expected back in three months time for evaluation and continuation of the treatments.

One of the beneficiaries, Chief Vital Anavhekhai thanked the founder and the doctors for providing the free medical treatment for the people, adding that he was God-sent to save humanity.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Sub-Clan head of Ivinone, HRH Emmanuel Ogah thanked the medical team for coming to Fugar.

“I must tell you sincerely that my people are highly overwhelmed with joy on your life-saving visit. The love you had that propelled you across the Atlantic Ocean to get to Fugar can only be compared to the type Moses had for Israelites”

“As you are in Fugar not for amusement but to help my people on health related issues, God will accept all your sublime supplications”, he added.
Okakagbe Foundation ‘Improving Lives” has in the past given bursary awards to about 312 students from different higher institutions in Nigeria and also empowered some widows.

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