A two weeks free surgical medical outreach being powered by the family of late Rev. Ukeje David Oriaku of Nkwoegwu Ohuhu, Umuahia North local government has seen about 2000 patients so far attended to.
The medical programme focuses on providing free surgical medical operation of patients with goitre, hernia, fibriod amongst other ailments that required surgery has recorded more than 2000 patients on day six of its commencement.
Speaking to our Reporter, at Nkwoegwu Health centre, Umuahia North where consultations are carried out while surgeries take place at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia, the leader of the team, Mr Oriaku Smart said that the outreach being sponsored by his family in partnership with Revive Medical team, Belgium was a way of giving opportunity to the poor and indigent individuals who cannot afford the opportunity of going abroad for surgeries of their ailments.
Mr Oriaku said that the programme was the best way to reach out to the indigent in our midst who are the targeted basic beneficiaries of the programme.
He maintained that while everyone has the right to spend his money, the way he like but his vision has been on how to reach out to the poorest in the society and touch them in a significant way that would have much impact in their lives.
Mr Oriaku stated that, that vision tallied with the mission and vision of Revive Medical team, Belgium, which since 2019, has been to Anambra, Delta, Lago and now, Abia to provide 100 percent cost free surgical operations.
According to him, a patient does not spend a dime to consult and be operated upon as the team bears the total cost of the requirements of his/her medical bills/needs.
On the possibility of the programme becoming an annual event, Mr Oriaku said that when you look at what one family- the Oriakus has done through the free medical programm, you would inagine the greater impact when other families do same or join hands of fellowship to provide free medical services, to this great number of people who cannot afford it.
He disclosed that the team paid for the medical expenses of three pregnant women delivered of their babies in the health centre despite the gesture not being part of it but that the women were just fortunate of having their babies during this programme.
The team leader condemned in strong terms, the money the patients who went to FMC Umuahia were made to pay insisting that the treatment was 100 percent free including laboratory test, drugs and other sundries.
The programme is expected to end on Saturday, February 2, 2024.
