It was meant for residents of Isiukwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency in Abia State, but upon learning that a medical outreach was afoot, others turned up from every part of the state and even beyond.
The outreach was organised by a lawmaker representing the constituency Hon Nkeiruka Onyejiocha in conjunction with a foreign-based foundation, Living Hope Medical Team.
It was held at Isuochi General Hospital in the state.
Some ailing participants came a day ahead of the exercise. Tests, treatment and medications were free.
One of the patients, Ifeanyi said he left the hospital where he was on admission for the venue because he believed that since the medical team were experts from the United States, the programme would be better, adding that his health did not improve at the private facility where he was on admission in Bende Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the increasing number of patients was as a result of testimonies from some of the patients who had been treated by the medical team in the past 10years that the event has been running.
In an interview with Hon. Onyejiocha she said “you know that I have sponsored several bills and three out of those bills I sponsored are now laws, which is an act of parliament. That means that am fulfilled as a parliamentarian.
“But then, the people that I represent, do they understand that my job is just to pass bills and then, get them to become law? And the answer is No!
“So, if it is No, what are am I going to do for them to feel my impact? This is just my little way of trying to help out. Of course you know that several times hospitals will go on strike and people at such times would be left to suffer. Some because they could not afford the medical fees charged by private clinics and hospitals die in the process.
“I decided to bring this free medical treatment for my people in order to address some of their medical challenges. It is not going to be enough, but just to try and help, even if it is one or two people that receives treatment, it will go a long way to sooth their pains. We have done this over the years and this is just for 2018.
“This is the 11year of this kind of medical mission and I can tell you that it has impacted a lot. The medical team has performed surgeries on people who cannot afford it. Some people were referred to the hospital even before they come here. They left the hospital just because they couldn’t pay. So, you can see the population here and I am confident that with the help of the people from Living Hope Foundation, they will be attended to without paying any dine.
“The impact is so much and that is why every year, it is increasing. It is to tell you that our health system has not captured what it is supposed to capture. This center is a General Hospital for a local government that only opens when we are doing free medical which speaks volumes about our health system; we come here and remove rats among other things.
“It means that the health system has collapsed and so, if you check what this medical outreach it, then the impact is not commensurate to the need of the people. People are still dying because of malaria, headache. The health system has collapsed.
“It is consoling that every year hundreds of people especially people that are going through hyena operation, cataract, glaucoma and other ailment come here and get treated free of charge from a medical team that are not paid. I am begging them to do it because nobody knows whose turn it will be tomorrow. It is a way of me giving back to the people because I know and believe that health is wealth.”
Asked she managed to keep bringing the medical team from the States and yet don’t collect money from the patients, Hon. Onyejiocha said, “that is my little secret and I keep saying that it is not for the press. What I know is that I have found people who are thinking together and so, we came down together and we sat and we agreed that we have to do it.
“If God keeps us alive by next year, we will still be here same time. Maybe, that time, government would have woken up to give us a befitting structure.”
In an interview, the leader of the medical team, Dr. Sonny Acho described the exercise as fruitful, but however lamented absence of medical facility and conducive environment at the health center which he noted has been one of the major challenges
Dr. Acho who said that they are working with some Nigerian based medical doctors and specialists in different areas of medicine listed hyena, glaucoma, cataract, malaria, etc, as some of the prevalent medical issues that the team handled.
According to him, they referred some of the patients whose cases could not be handled by the team to better equipped hospitals in Nigeria.
Michael Oguesie, from Amuda Isuochi who was scheduled for a hyena operation at the time of the interview said that he got to know about the outreach through announcements in the church and thanked the lawmaker for the care she has for the sick especially, the poor who could not have afford their medical treatment and access to good health facility.
He urged other well to do individuals and politicians in the state to emulate the kind gestures of the Isiukwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency lawmaker. This is even as he appealed for extension of days and number of medical personnel in subsequent editions.
