1,000 Patients Benefit From Onyejeocha Medical, Surgical Outreach

At least 1,000 patients received medical treatment after being diagnosed with different ailments during this year’s Free Medical and Surgical Outreach sponsored by Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
Onyejeocha, who is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, represents Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the weeklong exercise, which was the seventh edition, took place at a health facility she built at Isuochi in honour of her late mother, Madam Suzana Mba.
In an interview with newsmen at the event, the lawmaker said the programme was initiated about 14 years ago because of the high premium she attached to good health.
She said the essence of the programme was to promote the health of the people to enable them to be economically productive.
She said it had provided medicare to indigent persons, who could not afford as low as N2,000 to treat malaria and other minor ailments.
“Health is wealth. Even if you had the whole money in the world and you are not healthy, it makes no sense.
“So for me, health is very important. You cannot continue to provide the dividend of democracy when you have an unhealthy citizenry.
Onyejeocha expressed concern that with the present economic hardship, many people had died from ailments that could have been handled medically, if they had access to medicare.
She said the most prevalent ailments diagnosed at the outreach included malaria typhoid, hernia, appendicitis, goitres and eye disesses, which often required surgeries.
She said that one major surgical case was identified and had been projected to cost N2 million.
She that the 25-member medical team included indigenous physicians, adding that foreign doctors could not join because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawmaker said that the exercise was not limited to her constituents but open to all Nigerians, irrespective of religion and place of origin.
She said that she felt fulfilled with the impact so far achieved with the outreach, especially in the lives of the poor in society.
NAN reports that free eye screening were conducted, with medications and glasses given out to patients, including some journalists.
A cross-section of the beneficiaries described the programme as not only humanitarian but unique and unrivalled in the history of the area.
Eze Luke Uche, the Traditional Ruler of Obinolu Ngodo Isuochi Autonomous Community, Mr Anthony Eze, Florence Dick and Nneka Friday, lauded the lawmaker for her kind gesture.
Friday, whose six-year-old son had a surgery for hernia, said they came from Imo.
“I shall remain eternally grateful to the lawmaker for this assistance,” she said.