By Dickson Okafor
Residents of Ehime Mbano, Obowo and Ihitte Uboma local government areas (LGAs) of Imo State were in a boisterous mood recently, as a federal lawmaker sponsored a free medical exercise for people of the area.
Hundreds of residents with various health challenges in the three local government councils that make up Okigwe South Federal Constituency received succour from a team of medical personnel that dispensed drugs and treatment free of charge.
Hon. Chike Okafor, who represents Okigwe South in the House of Representatives, sponsored the free medical outreach, which attracted a large number of people in the designated centres. Dignitaries at the event included the wife of the Imo State governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, and Caretaker Chairman, Ehime Mbano LGA, Chike Orjiako.
While kicking off the programme in Ehime Mbano LGA, Okafor, who is also Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, said he was bothered by the poor health condition of some of his constituents, noting that the pitiable situation had led to many untimely deaths in the area.
The medical exercise, which was done in conjunction with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had over 33 doctors and medical personnel on hand at the headquarters of the three local governments, where they attended to the patients.
The lawmaker thanked UNICEF for donating drugs that could conveniently treat a minimum of 10,000 people and promised that the programme would be held twice a year. According to Okafor, the aim of the programme was to save lives, because many people were dying for not being able to afford drugs to treat ailments as common as malaria.
He said government was planning to establish primary health centres in all the electoral wards as well as complete those at various stages of construction. The step, he said, would reduce maternal mortality.
He explained that, because of the important role health plays in human existence, he conceived the idea of the free medical outreach, even as arrangements had been concluded with other agencies, federal health institutions and federal medical centres to provide medical care for the people of Okigwe. Okafor assured the people that the difficult economic situation of the country would not affect the provision of health care to Nigerians.
The lawmaker reminded the people that the duties of a legislator included effective representation, oversight and making laws that support the executive in formulating policies and programmes that would translate to the provision of infrastructure. Okafor commended the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, and members of the Committee on Health Services in the House of Representatives for their unflinching support in making the free medical outreach a success.
“I cannot watch my people die of minor diseases because they cannot pay their medical bills even now that the economic recession in the country is biting hard,” Okafor said.
He added that the outreach was to complement the Imo State government’s effort towards providing quality and affordable health care in the state; moreover, the state government’s work in the health sector was already yielding positive results. He also praised Governor Rochas Okorocha for the completion of the general hospitals in the 27 LGAs of the state.
Special guest and wife of the governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, in her remarks, lauded the lawmaker for coming to the aid of those with health challenges. She stated that the programme was timely, and reiterated the state government’s efforts towards making health care affordable for the people. Mrs. Okorocha also praised Okafor for his concern for the wellbeing of his constituents. In her words, Okafor had displayed true representation and selfless service.
She urged women, aespecially mothers, to take advantage of the free medical programme, which she said would help reduce maternal mortality and facilitate early detection of cancer and other preventable diseases.
She pledged the state government’s support for the outreach and assured that the modern general hospitals built and equipped by the Okorocha administration in the 27 councils would soon commence operation fully.
She said: “I am a mother, and as mothers, I encourage you to embrace the free health care programme, which I believe will help reduce maternal mortality and facilitate early detection of diseases like cancer.”
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