By BARBARA KALU, Port-Harcourt –
A total of 48 patients have undergone surgeries for fibroid in the on-going Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Free Health Medical Outreach holding at the General Hospital Otu Jeremi, in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Speaking at the week-long free healthcare programme, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said that the programme would bring healthcare to the door-steps of rural dwellers and communities, noting that over 6,000 patients have benefited from the health missions in Akwa Ibom and Imo states.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, who was represented by the Commission’s Director 2, Education, Health and Social Services, Dr Patience Ezugu, said that the Commission had, over the years, provided health solutions to over two million Niger Deltans across almost all communities in the region.
Ogbuku stated that the Free Healthcare programme, which had been providing healthcare services to medically underserved rural communities in the region, was one of several health programmes of the Commission, targeted at changing the health situation of Niger Deltans.
He stated: “The free medical outreach has been one of the flagship programmes of the Commission, serving the medically needy communities, with documented evidence and abounding testimonies of its beneficial impact in enhancing the quality of life of the rural poor in the region.”
“This life-saving programme has been actively running in Delta State since Monday, May 6, 2024, with an impressive record of over 3,000 patients already receiving essential medical care. Notably, a range of surgeries, including cataract procedures, have been successfully performed, leading to remarkable improvements in the vision of patients who were previously struggling with their eye sights.
“The positive impact of this mission is set to continue across the nine states of the Niger Delta region, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the Commission the mandate to extend the healthcare initiative to as many communities as possible.”
The NDDC boss said that the World Health Organisation, WHO, had agreed to collaborate with the NDDC to implement a Health Insurance Project, as well as other health programmes that would benefit the people of the Niger Delta region, such as the free medical outreaches.
Ogbuku re-stated the Commission’s resolve to leverage on its policy of Transiting from Transaction to Transformation, so as to ensure transparency and accountability in its activities and programmes. In this wise, he said, the Commission was making progress with its youth development and empowerment scheme, known as Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Engagement, HOPE, which was building a comprehensive database of the youth population of the Niger Delta region.
Speaking after inspecting the various units at the General Hospital, Otu Jeremi, the NDDC Director, Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzonwanne, observed that a lot of successes had been recorded since the beginning of the medical outreach on April 15, 2024.
He noted that over 4,000 patients were attended to at the Cottage Hospital in Ukana, Essien Udim LGA of Akwa Ibom State, while over 3,000 beneficiaries received care at Oguta General Hospital in Oguta LGA of Imo State.
Uzonwanne declared: “This mission reflects our commitment to not only address immediate health needs but also invest in the long-term well-being of our communities.”
The Director, Delta State Office of the NDDC, Engr. Onoriode Omo-Udoyo, commended the commitment of the present leadership of the NDDC for providing a platform through which the healthcare needs of the people could be addressed.
He noted: “The Free Health Medical Outreach programme is part of the NDDC’s efforts in addressing the healthcare needs of our people and bringing succour to Niger Delta communities.”
In his remarks, the traditional ruler of Ughievwen Kingdom in Ughelli South LGA, Dr. Matthew Edirin, expressed appreciation to the NDDC for the health programme, stating: “Going by the numerous health deliveries that were captured in this exercise, a lot more needs to done for the various communities. Many people that had issues with their sight, received medicated glasses. Some have been booked for eye surgeries to be operated either for glaucoma or cataract, and others that had fibroids have also been successfully operated upon.”
According to a schedule released by the NDDC, the Free Medical Outreach will move to Otuasega in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa from May 12-18.
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