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Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has called for strategic partnership to enhance sustainable expansions of healthcare initiatives in Nigeria.
Obi spoke after his visit to Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation (SEOF) and partners at the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital (DIOMH) in Anambra State.
His visit was occasioned by SEOF’s ongoing paediatric/adult open-heart surgery and bi-annual medical mission, scheduled for between September 19 and October12.
The mission is in partnership with the Vincent Obioma Ohaju Memorial (VOOM) Foundation.
The former Anambra State Governor commended SEOF and VOOM for their achievements over the past two years, which included 117 open-heart surgeries.
He said others are 10 interventional catheterisations (the first procedure in South East Nigeria) and two vascular surgeries.
Obi expressed satisfaction with the partners’ work and charged them to continue to contribute to the development of the Nigerian healthcare sector.
He emphasised the urgent need to expand these medical endeavours to ensure that more lives were saved and better healthcare services extended to more vulnerable Nigerians.
“Sustainable collaboration between the government, the private sector and philanthropic organisations is critical to ensuring sustainability and expansion of healthcare initiatives to address both paediatric and adult cardiovascular needs,” he said.
Executive Director, SEOF, Mrs Chidimma Okoye, thanked Obi for the visit and for believing in the impact the foundation was making in the lives of Nigerians.
Okoye stated that the procedures carried out at DIOMH offered critical medical interventions to children and adults who would otherwise have had no access to life-saving care.
She stated that the partnership and support they had received were instrumental in providing critical care to those in need.
The Founder of VOOM Foundation, Dr Vincent Ohaju, noted that their partnership with SEOF had saved many lives.
He said he was proud of the strides the partnership had made together.
“However, we know there is much work to be done.
“I urge individuals, organisations, and governments to commit to supporting initiatives like this so we can continue to transform lives through better access to life-saving medical care,” Ohaju said.
