From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Seven hundred people will benefit from the medical outreach organized by the Minister of State for Labour, Hon (Mrs) Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, for the people of Umunneochi in Abia State.
Out of this number, about 600 medical cases and 100 surgeries are to be handled over the four days duration of the medical outreach by more than 40 medical practitioners and other adhoc staff.
Disclosing this before the kick off of the medical outreach, Hon Onyejeocha lamented the high level of ailments in rural communities.
She blamed the situation on poor enlightenment, people refusing to check their medical states and misconceived beliefs among the villagers.
She noted that this year’s medical outreach was the 17th edition, which she has been sponsoring alone.
She charged her constituents to utilize the outreach in achieving sound health.
In his remarks, leader of the medical team, Dr Ebuchaiwe Humble of Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, attributed the high numbers of hernia cases in the villages to hard, stressful jobs like farming and other manual tasking works done by the rural dwellers, and expressed pain over the rising incidence of hernia cases among children.
He noted that the surgeries which were performed free of charge courtesy of Hon. Onyejeocha’s sponsorship, would have cost a patient between N150,000 to N300,000 in private hospitals.
Dr Humble said that modern equipment was installed for surgeries and other services for the outreach.
Some of the beneficiaries of the free medical outreach who spoke to journalists, Mrs Elem Ogechi and Mrs Benedicta Samuel, prayed God to reward the Minister for her philanthropic works for the needy.
Mrs Elem Ogechi said that her child underwent a successful surgery in her wrist after five years of no help.
The medical services performed included blood pressure check, medical references, surgeries for hernia, appendix, eye as well as general eye checks and provision of glasses and drugs, among other services.