From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

Not less than 3,658 men, women and children in Rivers State, have received free medical care and health education during a medical mission organized in partnership between the Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada and O.B. Lulu Briggs Foundation, hosted by the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Members of OIUSA/Canada, the socio-cultural organization of Iwhuruohna indigenes in the United States of America and Canada (OIUSA), rendered the free services to the number (3,658) during a week-long medical mission in Adanta, Isiokpo, capital of Ikwerre LGA.

The 140-member medical team that included U.S.-based Iwhuruohna physicians, nurses as well as health experts and professional from the O.B. Lulu Foundation, performed 59 general surgeries and 24 eye surgeries during the medical mission which was the second OIUSA free health care in the state in seven years.

It could be recalled that the U.S.-based Iwhuruohna, a non-profit socio-cultural organization completed an all-OIUSA/Canada sponsored free medical event at Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre LGA in 2014, during which hundreds of indigenes of the state received free medical check-ups that included glucose/sugar test, blood pressure and other health examinations.

Guests at the opening ceremony of the just-concluded medical mission included the paramount rulers of Isiokpo and Omagwa communities, HRM Eze Blessing Wagor, Wagidi 40th and HRH Achinike Amadi respectively.

 

The paramount ruler of Isiokpo, Eze Wagor, Wagidi 40th and the Ikwerre Local Government Council Chairman, Me. Samuel Nwanosike, in their separate remarks, commended the selfless service of O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation and its collaborative work with the Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada.

Related News

In his welcome address, the President of Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada, Mr. Eric Welle, thanked the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Council, Mr. Nwanosike, for hosting the joint medical mission.

Welle said the medical mission was an extension of OIUSA’s humanitarian outreach program from the Diaspora. He thanked the Foundation (including their clinical expertise) for their overall support in working with the OIUSA/Canada Medical Team to deliver the free healthcare.

He said, “After seeing the activities during the past three days, I realized that the need for medical services in our rural communities exists and, therefore, Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada is determined to do more.

“OIUSA/Canada’s goal is to explore ways in which our organization and other non-profit organizations like O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation can collaborate to complement government’s efforts in healthcare services in the state.

Speaking on behalf of Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, the Foundation’s Chairman, Mrs. Imah Chris-Adegoke, commended the Ikwerre royal fathers, the LGA chairman and OIUSA/Canada for their partnership in the medical mission.

Chris-Adegoke further noted that this was the second time the foundation was providing free medical care in Isiokpo, adding that, “So far, about 130,000 people in communities across the Niger Delta (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers States) have benefited have benefited from the programme.

Ends.