Leaders of Oraifite in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State have raised the alarm over growing cases of youths involved in methamphetamine popularly known as mkpurumili.
They said many youths in the community have been destroyed through the drug intake, calling on those involved to desist forthwith or be excommunicated from the town.
Speaking yesterday during the flag off of free medical services to over 2000 residents by Sir Emeka Offor foundation (SEOF), President General of the community, Sir Vic Dike regretted that some of l the youths now behave like animals.
He sighted an instance of a middle-aged man who nearly lost his wife and baby as a result of the influence of the drug.
He said the man had brought the pregnant wife to the clinic section of the Civic centre in the community and fled, abandoning her in the hands of a few nurses.
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According to him, his quick intervention, through the assistance of the Chief Medical Director of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), the pregnant wife would have lost her life and that of the baby.
He said, “We quickly rushed her to NAUTH around 12midnight. I had to wake the CMD of the hospital through the phone of the emergency case, appealing for his intervention so the woman doesn’t deliver inside the vehicle.
“Fortunately for us, he responded and the woman was moved into the theatre where she was delivered of the baby. When they brought the bill, the question was who would foot the bill since the husband was nowhere to be found. But since she’s one of us, we could not afford to abandon her, but had to offset the bill.
“As soon as we were done with the hospital, I requested the security to go in search of the husband and surprisingly, he was seen at the beer parlour drinking.”
Earlier, Coordinator of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Sir Tony Obi said the outreach, the first time the foundation was collaborating with Oraifite Development Union (ODU) and Rotary Club of Oraifite, was occasioned by prevalent cases of sudden deaths.
While promising continuity of the outreach, Obi announced plans for another free medical outreach at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH). “We’re also carrying the exercise to the four communities in the local government,” he said.