From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Young medical professionals numbering about 75 are making history as they have teamed up to provide free medical care to 25,500 elderly in 170 remote communities across the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State.
The volunteers assembled by Darlington Ugwuegbe, Technical Assistant to Enugu Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on healthcare, consist of dentists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, nurses, medical doctors and medical lab scientists.
Speaking on the idea behind the free medical service christened ‘GburusCare Medical Team’, the initiator, Ugwuegbe said that it was in line with the Governor’s mandate to effectively eliminate challenges faced by old persons in obtaining healthcare especially in remote villages.
He said that the medical and health professionals have agreed to move into rural communities where they would attend to the health needs of the elderly in Enugu State: “This free mobile clinic for the aged do not only navigate through the rural areas to identify and treat old people who are weak or poor to access adequate healthcare, but also creates a record folder for the nearest health centres for a periodic and proper follow up on the health need of our dear grandparents in the rural communities at no cost.
“The GburusCare medical outreach for the aged is designed to cover 170 communities across the state, targeting at least 10 communities in each LGA with overall estimated number of 25,500 elderly persons across the 17 LGAs in Enugu State.”
He explained that on arrival at any community, the medical team is divided into stationary and mobile groups, explaining that “While the stationary team positions at a particular spot in the community to receive patients, the mobile team goes home-to-home to attend to the patients who are not strong to make it to the spot”.
According to him, communities are told days ahead through their town union president, the traditional ruler or an important stakeholder in there, before the team would visit them.
The team on May 1, stormed Uzam community in Nkanu East Local Government Area where they provided free medical services to the elderly and equally distributed COVID-19 safety materials to them.