By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
The Abia Government has launched a medical outreach programme to provide free healthcare services and expand access to quality medical care for residents across the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the programme, after visiting the various centers for the outreach, on Friday, in Umuahia.
Uche said that the outreach was part of Gov. Alex Otti’s healthcare reform agenda aimed at ensuring equitable access to medical services for residents, irrespective of their location.
He explained that the programme was being implemented in partnership with the Abia Diaspora Commission.
According to him, doctors, nurses and other health professionals from the United States and the United Kingdom were participating in the outreach.
Uche said that the outreach was taking place simultaneously across the three senatorial zones of the state.
He said that for the medical outreach for the Abia South Senatorial Zone was taking place at the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, Aba.
Uche added that Abia Central centers included the Abia Specialist Hospital and the Ahiaeke Primary Health Centre, Umuahia.
He said that the Abia North Senatorial Zone locations were the Methodist Hospital, Uzuakoli, and the Okoko Item Primary Health Centre.
The commissioner said that the programme was aimed at reduci.g healthcare costs, improve grassroots access and curb quackery.
He said that the outreach also featured training for frontline health workers in Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.
According to him, the training was to strengthen emergency response and save lives in the state’s healthcare system.
Uche urged residents to take advantage of free consultations, surgeries, including eye surgeries, and health education offered during the outreach.
He advised residents to avoid patronising unapproved medical outreaches, stressing that only programmes validated by the state Ministry of Health were legal.
The Chairman of the Abia Diaspora Commission, Mr. Alwell Agbara, said that the outreach reflected the governor’s commitment to prioritising healthcare and delivering quality services to residents across the state.
Agbara said that the outreach, the first of its kind in the state, was taking place simultaneously at multiple centers across the state.
He said that the services offered included general consultations, surgeries and eye care, noting that turnout had been overwhelming since the commencement of the programme.
The chairman commended Otti and the Commissioner for Health, for reforms that recently earned Abia a 500,000-dollar Nigeria Governors’ Forum health award.
Agbara expressed appreciation to volunteer doctors from the diaspora and within Nigeria.
He assured that the commission would continue mobilising global partnerships to support Abia’s development.
Also speaking, a Public Health Expert and member of the medical outreach team in Abia South, Dr Chimezie Nwaru, said that the team was handling a wide range of surgical procedures.
“We carry out various surgeries such as myomectomy, hernia repairs and removal of lumps,” he said.
Nwaru disclosed that since the commencement of the outreach on Monday, the medical team had attended to an average of 200 patients daily, recording successes in all surgeries performed so far.
He described the partnership between the Government and the Commission as a welcome development, noting that the state was taking the lead in critical sectors such as health and education.
In his remarks, an anaesthetist with the outreach team in Abia South, Mr. Goodluck Esinwoke, said that both major and minor surgeries were being carried out alongside medical consultations.
“The major surgeries include myomectomy, while minor procedures include herniorrhaphy, glaucoma and umbilical hernia surgeries,” he said.
Esinwoke added that the team had performed two myomectomies on the day of reporting, with one carried out the previous day.
He said that paediatric cases were also being handled, with six children treated over two days, noting that more procedures would be carried out as the outreach progressed.
According to him, about 50 surgical cases had been listed, including completed and pending procedures, while numerous medical cases were also being attended to daily.
He added that eye care services were also part of the outreach, with ophthalmology services including eye examinations, prescription of glasses and treatment of various eye conditions.
Also, some beneficiaries also expressed gratitude to the government and organisers for the intervention.
Mrs. Nnenna Chibuzo said that her son received a free hernia surgery after suffering the condition for over two years due to financial constraints.
“My family and I are deeply grateful.
“We could not afford the surgery before now. I am glad that my son received the procedure at no cost,” Chibuzo said.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Izuchukwu Chinedu, thanked the government and medical team for a successful surgery,
Chinedu also describe the outreach as timely and life-changing.
