Follow Us on Google
From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital(NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State on Tuesday executed another round of free medical outreach at Neni in Aniocha Local Government where hundreds of outpatients benefited.
The programme was a collaboration between NAUTH and the Department of Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare in partnership with M. E. Uduezue and Sons Enterprising Ltd.
The free medical outreach featured: screening for common ailments, eyecare services, medical consultations and health promotion.
A Consultant on the occasion, Dr Alutu Collins delivered a lecture on prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.
He also spoke extensively on dietical discipline.
The traditional ruler of Neni community, Igwe Damian Ezeani in his address
commended NAUTH for its medical intervention to address all kinds of ailments in the area.
The Igwe assured that the people of Neni would always support NAUTH branch in his community and whatever project the hospital might wish to execute in his domain.
The President-General(PG) of Neni, Sir Christian Ikebudu also appreciated the management of the health institution for considering Neni in their free medical mission.
He said that people started trooping to the Neni Civic Center, venue for the medical outreach as early as 5.30 am, Tuesday.
Sir Ikebudu, however, appealed to the management of NAUTH to consider executing the programme twice a year in his community for the maximum benefit of the locals and because of what he described as the economic reality in Nigeria at the moment.
“This is a period of great economic difficulty for many Nigerians who have to grapple with inflation induced by the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government. An intervention like this will really go a long way to ameliorating the sufferings of the people, ” he explained.
The Chief Host of the programme and Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the NAUTH, Associate Prof Joseph Ugbaja, represented by the Coordinating Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Prof Chigozie Ifeadike appreciated Neni community for being good host to NAUTH.
She said that the CMD had reassured the community members that the NAUTH would never relent in its effort to execute its corporate social responsibilities within its catchment areas.
The Coordinator of the medical outreach and the Head, Department of Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Prof Chika Ubajaka further explained that the medical mission was part of the corporate social responsibilities of the hospital to the people of the State.
“Our able Chief Medical Director, Associate Professor Joseph Ugboaja came up with the idea that we of the Department of Community Medicine and Public Healthcare should do this as part of the health institution’s corporate social responsibilities to promote the health of our people, ” she said.
On the request by the PG of the community to organize the programme twice a year, Prof Ubajaka said it would be presented to the CMD for approval, saying that she was confident that their request would be granted.
She expressed appreciation to the Department Community Medicine, nurses, pharmacists, labouratory scientists and every other personnel that assisted one way or the other to make the programme a success.
She said they were were excited and satisfied with the way beneficiaries responded as against their initial fear of low turnout.
Prof Ubajaka said they came prepared with the expectation that over 600 outpatients with diverse ailments would be taken care of, having come with enough drugs and eye glasses.
“We told them that we would come prepared and that the beneficiaries would go home with joy.
“Our team of medical personnel did a nice job, ” she said.
Some of the beneficiaries interviewed expressed satisfaction for the medical intervention and wished the NAUTH and its management well.
