From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State in the National Assembly, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene has urged his constituents to always prioritise their health and general wellbeing.
Speaking during a two-day health outreach which he organised for the people, Hon. Ogene called for regular check-up of their health status, especially high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria, et cetera, which he noted are “silent killers.”
Ogene, who is the Anambra State and Labour Party Caucus Leader in the House of Representatives, promised to always ensure that through advocacy, he would help eliminate the syndrome of “sudden deaths.”
According to him, “In the face of severe inflation and general hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, and dwindling job opportunities, many are daily susceptible to stress, leading to severe health challenges.
“Faced with this challenge, I, and my team, have resolved to undertake periodic health interventions in the different communities that make up Ogbaru.
“No longer shall we have health outreaches that would be for only the urban centres. We shall endeavour to take our message of, ‘Optimal Health for Ogbaru,’ down to every community,” Hon. Ogene said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents of the Ogbaru federal constituency are full of praises for the Rep. member Ogene for providing them the free medical services.
The beneficiaries who cut across natives and non-natives sang praises of Hon. Ogene at the Central School, Odekpe where various medical experts carried out tests on them and offered treatments for various ailments including malaria, HIV, diabetes, High Blood Pressure, typhoid, cholera and various eye problems and drugs given to them free.
The two-day free medical outreach and HIV Awareness free medical screening and accessories facilitated by Hon. Ogene, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy is being funded by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS in partnership with Niphemy Solutions Limited.
Consultant for the free medical outreach, Mr. Tunde Ojo said over 1,500 patients were targeted to benefit from the programme.
The co-ordinator medical services, Dr. Umeoranefo Isaiah praised Ogene for facilitating the free medical services stating that the best service any leader who loves his people would provide them is sound health.
“When Hon. Afam Ogene called me, he pleaded with me to co-ordinate this free medical services to make sure that the people received the best medical services.
“I see Hon. Ogene as a leader who is passionate about his people and humanity; he wants to give back to his people for reposing confidence in him by voting him to represent them at the National Assembly.
Dr. Isaiah stated that the most common ailments presented by the people from the diagnosis is malaria, typhoid, eye problems, especially blurry eyes which according to him is a sign of one having diabetic complications; cataract, etc.
All the medical services which included screening for various ailments, provision of drugs and medicated eye glasses were given the beneficiaries free.
Some of the beneficiaries including Mrs Felicia Adebisi, Rev. Sister Chinelo Umenyi, Mrs Chinwendu Oduma, Mr. Igwe Gabriel Emmanuel, Prince Stanley Ezike, Mr. Uche Nwakolobi among others prayed God to reward Hon Ogene with sound health and re-election.
Mrs Adebisi who was screened over eye challenges and given medical eye glasses praised Hon. Ogene for coming to her aid and prayed God to reward him with sound health.
She stated that Hon. Ogene had demonstrated unprecedented love to the people in the Constituency since he was inaugurated in the National Assembly saying ‘Hon. Afam Ogene is the person who made it possible for us to be passing on the road to our house”.
“We know him as lover of the people and God will reward him with a second term because he is a good man.”I am not from Ogbaru but I live in Ogbaru. Hon. Ogene does not discriminate”.
Rev. Sister Omenyi stated that many people have been dying in Ogbaru because of lack of proper medical services.
“I was screened over so many health issues including malaria, diabetes, BP, typhoid, sugar, HIV but the major problem I received treatment for is eye problem”, Rev Sister Omenyi stated. She praised Hon. Ogene for coming love for the people.
Hon. Chinedu Uwollo, a legislative aide to Hon. Ogene said that the free medical services was a deliberate programme by his boss aimed at delivering quality health services to stem the rate of avoidable deaths among the people.
He stated that the medical outreach will be extended to other communities in future saying that the two-day medical outrage was targeted at the people in smaller areas in the constituency.