735 Receive Free Medical Service In Ogu

No fewer than 735 people received free medical service at Ogu General Hospital in Ogu/Bolo local government area, Rivers state.

The free medical service was offered by a non-governmental group called Wakirike Medical Doctors Association in collaboration with Wakirike Unions in United Kingdom and United States of America as well as their friends.

Chairman of the group, Dr. Rollings Jamabo, told newsmen that the programme was originally planned for 200 patients out of which 60 would receive surgical operations but said that the turnout was so much that the organization extended the programme to two days.

He disclosed that a total of 735 patients were treated, out of which 41 had surgery, while some others whose cases like the thyroids and the cancers adding that they would be transferred to Seaside Specialist Surgery because the patients need further investigations as well as blood transfusions.

He also said that 11 patients would go to Seaside Specialist Hospital for treatment while five other more serious cases were referred to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for proper treatment.

Dr. Jamabo who is also the Head of Department, Surgery, UPTH and Senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt identified poverty as a major cause of many medical fatalities that could have otherwise been treated easily.

According to him, “Our people are poor and do not have the privilege of expressing themselves at the hospital and in fact the hospital are not properly manned or funded”.

He expressed disappointment over the state of the hospitals in the country saying that the association replaced the submersible water pump, service and fuel the power generating set at the hospital following the failure of local government council to make the generating set functional for the programme.

Secretary to the association, Dr. Fyneface Ogan, who is also Consultant Anaesthetist at the UPTH, said the turnout was impressive, adding that the turnout was indication that the governments have failed to give adequate attention to some ailments in the society.

In his remarks, the former Medical Director, Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Dr. Bernard Aprioku, expressed delight that the organization was able to carry out the programme for their people saying it is a way to give back to the society.

Also speaking, the Secretary of Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Fidelis Opuiyo Opumgbeka, thanked the organization for the gesture, but complained that the hospital lacked a resident doctor, which made the hospital to be non-functional and called for urgent steps to be taken to address the matter.

Medical Superintendent in charge of Ogu General Hospital, Dr. Kuru Emmanuel expressed appreciation on the gesture of the association to serve the community and charged others to emulate them.

Tonye Nria-Dappa