From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has canvassed quality health care delivery for Nigerians to ensure speedy treatment and eradication of terminal diseases by 2030 in line with the United Nation’s sustainable development agenda.
He has also attracted free medical treatment for his constituents.
Kalu stated this at Amuda Town Hall in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State during a one-day free medical treatment campaign he facilitated and organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). He said the aim of the exercise was to test and treat people with Peptic (stomach) ulcer diseases.
Kalu, represented by the Director General, Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation, Rev. Jemima Ola-Kalu, said the exercise would continue at Ozu Abam Community in Arochukwu Local Government.
He also revealed that his foundation would commence a free medical treatment for cancer patients across all political wards in Abia North senatorial district.
“We are aligning our thematic area with the United Nations sustainable development agenda 2030 which is to eradicate poverty and provide good health care for all.
“We are also providing good education for our people at all levels. Recently we gave 50 students scholarship to study medicine and surgery in Venezuela, and another 650 students to study medicine in selected 12 Nigerian universities.
“We will ensure that by the year 2030 the patients/doctor ratio in Nigeria which is currently one doctor to 30 patients improves by training more medical doctors.”
Head of the medical team, Dr. Grace Achilike, explained that peptic ulcer can occur in the stomach and any other part of the intestine.
She said the medical outreach was facilitated by Kalu because of his love for the people of Abia North and Abia State in general to access quality health care delivery.
“I organised a free medical out reach to give back to the society at Igbere last year because of the kind gesture of his Excellency to me when I was a student. But being a man that wants good health care delivery for his people, our distinguished senator asked that we should extend the free treatment to other local governments in his senatorial district.”