By Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara, Abakaliki
The Women Development Centre in Abakaliki came alive on Monday as the wife of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief (Mrs.) Mary Maudline Uzoamaka Ogbonna Nwifuru, flagged off the third phase of a free medical outreach targeting hundreds of indigent patients.
The programme, organized by the BERWO Foundation in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA), will provide free hernia, fibroid, and lump surgeries, alongside eye screenings and issuance of medicated glasses.
At the ceremony, the First Lady emphasized that the initiative was rooted in the People’s Charter of Needs agenda of her husband’s administration, which prioritizes health and human development.
“This initiative is not just about free surgeries or health insurance cards. It is about restoring hope and dignity, and proving that government can be compassionate, responsive, and close to the people,” she declared to thunderous applause.
Mrs. Nwifuru explained that 657 patients would benefit from surgeries in this phase, while 626 others had already undergone free eye screening. Those with complex cases will be treated through corrective surgeries.
She described the outreach as life-changing, noting that many families in Ebonyi had silently borne the burden of illnesses like fibroid, hernia, and eye defects due to financial constraints.
“For our women suffering from fibroids, this programme gives them an opportunity to pursue motherhood without fear or pain. For those with hernia or poor eyesight, it restores comfort and vision for a brighter future,” she said.
The governor’s wife urged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the programme, assuring them that medical experts handling the outreach were carefully selected and committed to providing the best care.
She also thanked the Executive Secretary of EBSHIA, Dr. Divine Igwe, and his team of health professionals, describing their dedication as the backbone of the project’s success.
“Your skills and sacrifices are the instruments through which this vision is translated into reality. May God bless your efforts,” she added.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, praised Governor Francis Nwifuru’s reforms in the health sector, citing recruitment of workers, provision of ambulances, and free health insurance enrolment for thousands of citizens.
He noted that the First Lady had previously facilitated the enrolment of 4,000 pregnant women, 300 sickle cell warriors, and 1,300 indigent residents into the state’s health insurance scheme.
Dr. Igwe disclosed that out of the 1,283 patients registered in this phase, 657 will undergo surgeries, while others received screenings and eyeglasses. He commended the governor and his wife for repositioning Ebonyi’s health system.
Other dignitaries, including the Chairman of EBSHIA, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbaga, the Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Prof. Jesse Uneke, and BERWO team member Barr. Kelechi Mbam, hailed the interventions as unprecedented.
They maintained that the Nwifuru administration had brought healthcare closer to the grassroots, ensuring that the poor were not left behind.
Prof. Uneke described the initiative as “a model that other states should emulate,” stressing that free health interventions have direct impacts on productivity and quality of life.
For many beneficiaries, the programme is nothing short of a miracle. Mrs. Ogbodo Onyemachi from Ohaukwu Local Government, who underwent fibroid surgery, testified that she was treated without paying a dime.
“I had lost hope because I couldn’t afford the surgery. Today, I am healthy again, and it was all free. I thank the governor and his wife for saving my life,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.