NGO, Legislator Partner On Free Medicare In Anambra

No fewer than 500 members of Ugbenu community in Awka North local council area of Anambra State received free medical care.

The free health care was provided by a non-governmental organisation, Top Forum International, in partnership with Mrs Rebecca Udorji, representing Awka North in the House of Assembly.

The Secretary-General of the organisation, Mr Patrick Nweke, told newsmen on Monday at Ugbenu Health Centre that the intervention was a Christmas gift to the people.

Nweke said the medical mission diagnosed the people on arthritis, malaria, typhoid, blood pressure and sugar level, among others.

He said the medical mission comprised gynaecologists, paediatricians and specialists in family medicine, adding that they came with some relevant drugs.

“This is a sort of Christmas celebration to the people of this community and that is why we are here today. We came with team of doctors who are specialist in their own fields.

“We diagnosed the people and discovered that arthritis, blood pressure and other ailments associated with the aged are prevalent here,” Nweke said.

The secretary-general said, “we are making arrangements to widen the scope depending on the financial support we get.

“For now, funding is our major challenge as that is the basic thing for the scope expansion,” Nweke said.

In her remarks, Udorji said this was the first time this kind of project was being embarked upon in this community.

She expressed happiness with the turn out of the people, and assured them that the equipped health centre would be manned by medical personnel.

“It is now my duty to tell the state government to send a medical doctor here, having equipped here with generating set, health facilities and a guest house,” Udorji said.

Earlier, the President-General of the community, Chief Cyril Ekweanya, thanked Udorji and the organisation for the medical assistance given to the community, adding that it had provided succour for the people.

He appealed to Ugbenu women to ensure that they send their female children to school rather than allowing them to marry at tender age.

Ekweanya also solicited for the construction of a secondary school in the community.