Indigenes and residents of Abia are to enjoy free medical treatment as about 65 American-based Nigerian physicians storm the state on medical outreach.
Okey Kalu, commissioner for Information, disclosed this at the Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said that the Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (ANPA) would be engaging in free medical outreach in the state between 4th and 14th April this year.
The Information commissioner hinted that the medical outreach which comprised a total of 65 medical doctors would carry out treatment in over 5000 different ailments and over 200 surgery cases across the state and called on Abians to register early enough in preparation for the surgery.
He said that the objective of the exercise was to ensure that Abians were provided free and easy access to quality health care.
Kanu further disclosed that ‘Glaucoma Week’ would kick off in the state from10th to 16th of this month, and described glaucoma as the leading cause of blindness across the globe.
“The state government is working with a group of Nigerian physicians who are based in America or are referred to as Association of Nigerian Physicians in America (ANPA). They will be engaging in a medical outreach in Abia State between the 4th and 14th of April and active preparations have kicked off to ensure that the medical outreach turns out very successful. In that regard about 65 centres have been identified where Abians are supposed to go and register. Abians are been encouraged to register, particularly, those who have very serious surgeries or health issues.”
“Surgeries will focus on such areas like colon cancer, prostrate enlargements, among others. The whole objective is to ensure that the average Abian is provided with free and easy access to health facilities. It will be a very free exercise. It’s just like the free medical services that we had last year, it will be a free medical outreach for Abians.”
Contributing, the Commissioner for Health, Ngozi Okoronkwo said the members of the ANPA would arrive the state in less than a month to conduct rare surgeries including Colon Cancer and prostrate surgeries, among others.
She advised adults from 40 years and above to visit designated centres across the three Senatorial Zones of the state for test before the arrival of the team.
“We are excited and we can’t wait for them to arrive and this is because they are going to be hosting some of the top surgeons that you have in the United States and they are going to be able to conduct some very rare surgeries that we are not able to do right here in Nigeria. Some of them (the surgeries) would have to cost so much for us to do it.
“From this weekend, most likely the centres would be made available to start running tests for the people that will be able to access the chronoscope care when they arrive so that the testing has to be done first then you will be qualified for the second care. The centres would most likely be FMC and Specialist Centre,” Okoronkwo said.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Betty Emeka-Obasi, who also spoke, said that the focus of the Governor Otti administration was to revolutionise the health sector, describing the theme for the Glaucoma Week, ‘uniting for a Glaucoma-free world,’ as commendable.’
She described Glaucoma as genetic and encouraged everyone to troop out en masse for the free test.
“His Excellency is focused to revamp and revolutionalise the healthcare sector and ensure equitable, accessible and all-inclusive quality healthcare delivery. The leading cause of blindness in black Africa is glaucoma and once it causes blindness, it’s irreversible,” she said.
Also speaking on the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bekky Ogechi-Oguama said the event which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March would be marked in the state on the 7th of this month at the International Conference Centre Umuahia.
She further said that the team of this year’s celebration is ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ emphasising that activities lined up for the event include: Road walk, lectures, among others.
“We encourage everyone to come out, let us celebrate the achievements of women. Let’s put our heads together to encourage them to do more for themselves and for Abians. The theme for the year is ‘Inspiring Inclusion for Women.’ We have to give voice to the voiceless, that voiceless woman, that woman that is under-represented, that woman that needs to find her feet- these are people we need to bring up and include them in what is happening in Abia,” Ogechi-Oguama.
