Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
No fewer than 25 medical doctors have been mobilised to offer free healthcare services to rural dwellers in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency as the 14th edition of Hon Nkiruka Onyejeocha Annual Medical Outreach kicked off at Isuochi.
The physicians and other health professionals that make up the formidable medical team headed by Dr Humble Evuchaiwe, were actively engaged in attending to huge crowd of sick persons that thronged the Madam Suzana Mba Health Centre along Amuda – Umuaku Road, Isuochi.
Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who represents Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi federal constituency, told journalists that over 1,000 persons would receive treatment in the week-long medical outreach, while provisions had been made for 50 surgeries.
She said that “it’s safer and cheaper” to nip sickness in the bud if the primary healthcare system is strengthened to serve the health needs of the rural dwellers.
The federal lawmaker noted that so many people in the rural areas lose their lives to curable ailments due to dire economic conditions that make it impossible for many families to afford paying for even N500 drugs, much more undergoing surgery.
According to her, it has become common for people to carry hernia for years because they could not afford the cost of surgery hence hernia and goitre surgeries were included in the free medical outreach.
She acknowledged that access to quality healthcare “is very tough considering the state of the economy” hence her determination to sustain the annual free medical outreach, which has over the years brought succour to so many people.
“Health is wealth. Even if you have the whole money and you are not healthy, you have nothing. If you are working and you are not well, you cannot be effective,” Onyejeocha said.
The third term Rep stated that her free medical outreach was not restricted to her constituents as anybody that has the means of getting to the venue of the programme automatically receives treatment irrespective of the patient’s place of origin.
Mrs. Nneka Friday, who brought her six year old son, Uchenna all the way from Owerri, Imo State, for hernia surgery, profusely thanked Hon Onyejeocha for the opportunity “to save my son”.
“It’s not every well-to-do person that can do what she is doing to help the poor,” Mrs. Friday said, adding, “God will reward her for us”.
The traditional ruler of Obindu Ngolo Isuochi autonomous community, HRM Eze Luke Uche expressed his happiness to have come and witnessed the huge crowd receiving healthcare services courtesy of Hon Onyejeocha.
He told THISDAY that “the most gratifying aspect is that everything is free”, adding that Onyejeocha “has demonstrated great passion” for the well being of the people she represents not only by attending to their health needs but also education and human capital development.
