Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara
KAMA Nkemkanma Member representing Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has flagged off free medical outreach for 13 communities in his constituency.
The flag took place at Oshiri Community Onicha local government and will end in Ivo on 30th of November, 2024.
The lawmaker’s free medical care is in partnership with National Primary Healthcare and David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital Uburu, Ohaozara.
Many malnourished children (kwashiorkor) and over 2,000 patients suffering from cancer, diabetes, hernia, arthritis, eye diseases, Tuberculosis and other health cases in the Oshiri community benefited from the medical mission.
Some of the patients were given drugs after their screening and counselling, others had surgery, and those with complicated cases were referred to the University Teaching Hospital.
Nkemkanma Kama said 25,000 persons will benefit from the healthcare service.
He disclosed that 16,000 benefited from last year’s but he decided to increase the number this year based on his findings.
“This free medical outreach started in 2022, and it will continue until our health centres are functioning. We are trying to see if we can do this at least twice a year because the one-year gap before doing it is too much.
“Last year, we reached out to 16,000 and changed. This year, we included surgery and cancer screening, and you can see all the equipment, x-rays, and every other thing going on. Last year, most people who benefited had eye problems.
“This year, 25,000 persons will benefit from the free medical outreach and you can see the crowd here, they have been coming since morning”, Kama said
Nwafor Julius, the state Coordinator of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency(NPHCDA), said the medical outreach will reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the constituency.
He commended Kama for the gesture and urged other lawmakers to emulate him to improve the health needs of their constituents.
“We have seen that many people are benefiting from this free medical outreach ranging from children of 0-18 and women of childbearing age and every adults
“We have seen that this man is very good in trying to reduce the maternal and neonatal mortality rate in this country, and we wish that every other lawmaker will emulate this and do the same thing in their localities.
“We have over 1,500 people here that are being subjected to different tests and screenings. We have over 15 sites in this particular mission that we came here today ranging from cancer, diabetes and every other health challenges people are suffering.
“The best one I like very much is the ophthalmology site where the eye care is being taken care of and also the general surgical section that involves both children and adults”.
One of the beneficiaries Mrs Chukwu Gladys, an arthritis patient commended the lawmaker for the free medical services
“I came here because I have arthritis. My legs and knees are paining me seriously, and I have been attended to. I was given drugs free after they checked my body”.
On his part, a retired Policeman, SPOL Ifeanyi Edeh who said that he has never visited hospital for treatment of eye but only uses eyeglasses for eye problems said
Doctors recommended eye surgery after screening him.
He thanked them for the thorough job they were doing.
“We have never seen this type of free medical outreach in our community. I was screened free of charge and recommended for surgery which this lawmaker is sponsoring. He has saved lives.
Moses Chima, a community leader who also benefited from the medical outreach, expressed worry over the increasing cases of eye problems in the area and urged the government to step into the health challenge.
“The number of people having eye cases are so many. I think something should be done about it. Kama is giving out glasses, giving out treatment but government should complement his efforts.
“Government should come in and ensure that the people that have these eye cases are given free treatment.