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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Some beneficiaries of the first medical mission conducted by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Cross River State have heaved a sigh of relief.
The medical mission, which took place at the General Hospital in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, benefitted no fewer than 3,500 people.
The beneficiaries were drawn from within and outside the Akamkpa General Hospital locality and included all Nigerians.
Ntufam Paul Okon Ntui, a clan head in Akamkpa who represented the paramount ruler, thanked God and appreciated the NDDC for deeming it fit to bring the intervention to the area.
He said the outreach would be of immense benefit to his people and also breathe life into the Akamkpa General Hospital, which has been neglected for a long time.
“I will thank God and also appreciate the NDDC for deeming it fit to bring this intervention to our community.
“Our people will benefit immensely from this as this is the first time the NDDC will bring this kind of medical intervention to not just this community but the senatorial district,” he said.
Aniefiok Bassey, a beneficiary with an eye challenge, said he was afraid of coming to the hospital because he lacked confidence in the ability of the hospital to address his eye problem.
He said he was, however, happy to come for the outreach because of the quality of personnel that were mobilized for the event.
“The intervention is a nice one, from the promises we have been given and the conduct so far, I want to believe it’s a huge success. I have been having issues with my eyes and the challenge I faced was access to qualitative treatment.
“Sometimes, I felt I may not have a good physician with equipment to take care of my eyes and I did not want to disturb it with people who cannot take care of it.
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“However, with the quality of people here, including pro-health, I am quite happy and confident I’ll get the quality of attention I need,” he said.
Also speaking, Hannah Essien Jonah, from Akwa Ibom State and residing in Awi, said as mothers they were very happy to take advantage of interventions like this given the present economic challenges.
She said: “I am very happy because we, mothers, are struggling to buy food for our children these days.
“When we hear of free outreach like this, we get excited and have come here to benefit, not just for my children but also for my husband.”
Similarly, Priscilla Onda from Akamkpa Urban welcomed the outreach, saying it will take off medical expenses of the people but said transporta fare was quite high. She said before now, they used to pay N100 from Akamkpa Urban to the General Hospital but now it costs N500.
She lamented that with the huge number of people coming out for the outreach, she may have to spend N1000 daily to come for the outreach till she is attended to.
However, the senator representing Cross River South and Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, Asuquo Ekpenyong, promised to provide free buses to enable people in the hinterlands to benefit from the outreach.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said the objective was to remove the financial barrier to accessing good and qualitative health services.
Ogbuku, whose speech was delivered by the head of education, health and social services in the Cross River State Office, Eme Abia, said at least two million Niger Deltans have benefited from the commission’s free medical missions.
In the same vein, George Uzonwanne, the director of education, health and social services, said beyond the medical mission, the NDDC will soon provide educational tablets to students in the region.
He also said the commission is taking data and will issue cards to all pregnant women so that they can get free medical services anywhere within their area and also pay stipends to the poor.
