(NAN)
An Enugu-based nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Dynamic Women for Good Leadership, on Saturday celebrated Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s birthday with a free medical outreach.
The outreach was held in Amofia Autonomous Community, Affa Ancient Kingdom, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The Convener of the group, Mrs Rita Eze, said that the outreach was part of the activities to mark the governor’s 57th birthday.
Eze said that the programme was in support of the governor who, she said, had provided good governance.
She said that the group decided to use the occasion of the governor’s birthday celebration to touch the lives of the indigent members of the community.
Eze said that the medical team would treat ailments such as malaria, diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the outreach took place at the Ikedinkpa Health Centre.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Health Development Committee of the health centre, Mr Francis Egbajie, expressed concern about the state of the facility.
Egbajie said that the poorly maintained health centre, which also served as a cottage hospital, was built in the early 1960s and was at the brink of collapse.
He said that the facility was understaffed, adding that only one medical doctor worked in the two medical facilities.
“We need more nurses in these facilities as they are understaffed. We appeal to the state government to take steps to rehabilitate and upgrade them because people from nearby communities also use them,” he said.
Egbajie said that the medical outreach was a big relief to the people of the area as it would afford them the opportunity to access free medical care.
He said that the people of the area hardly use it due to their inability to afford the N200 consultation card and drugs.
Also, the President-General, Amofia Autonomous Community, Mr Victor Uchedienyi, thanked the NGO for organising the medical outreach.
Uchedienyi said that the event would not have come at a better time, adding that the gesture was the beginning of better things that would come to the community through the NGO.
The president-general congratulated Ugwuanyi on his 57th birthday celebration and prayed to God to continue to direct the governor’s footsteps in his commitment to making the state better.
He said that the community would continue to support the government’s programmes aimed at empowering the people.