Trado Ruler Applauds NDDC’s Free Healthcare Scheme In Imo
Edith CHUKU
The Traditional Ruler of Oguta, in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Nnani Chinedu Nzeribe, has lauded the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, for the free healthcare programme.
The NDDC is holding a week-long free healthcare programme at Oguta General Hospital, in partnership with the Arit Walden Free Healthcare Mission, in compliance with the Commission’s mandate to intervene in the health needs of the people.
According to a release by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, over 3,000 patients are expected to benefit from the Free Health Care Medical Programme.
The traditional ruler who described the programme as life-saving and impactful, expressed gratitude to God for using the NDDC to help his people.
Speaking on the programme, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Director, Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzonwanne, said that over two million Niger Deltans, who had little or no access to modern health facilities, had benefitted from the medical missions over the years.
He said that the medical interventions ranged from consultations for things such as malaria or upper respiratory tract infections or children who had cuts, to cogent cases such as fibroid surgeries, eye surgeries with intraocular lens implantation and dental surgeries.
Ogbuku noted that there were many remarkable stories and testimonies which had come out of these interventions, emphasizing that what NDDC had done was to provide the platform for God to perform miracles in the lives of our people.
“As it is always said, health is wealth. And so, as part of the strategy to bring prosperity to the Niger Delta region, it was urgent and imperative for the Commission to build a region of healthy people. You cannot build a place without also building the people. Indeed, the people are the primary beneficiaries of development and it is they who can make development sustainable.
“The current Governing Board and Management of the Commission believe that to develop a place we must be concerned about and committed to developing the people. To heal the people is to heal the land and make it whole.”
“In the coming weeks, the Commission will be visiting all the nine mandate states of the Niger Delta region, to take this free health programme to our people. In this first phase, we will also be visiting Owaza in Abia State, Otuasega in Ogbia, and Yenagoa, both in Bayelsa State, Akamkpa in Cross River State, Otujeremi in Ughelli North, in Delta State, Auchi in Edo State, Igbokoda in Ondo State and Ogu in Rivers State.”
Ogbuku observed that the Commission was providing a platform through which God would continue to work miracles in the lives of the people and through which the needs of Niger Deltans could begin to be realized and their dreams of a better Niger Delta region fulfilled.
Also speaking, the representative of Imo State on the NDDC Board, Dr Kirean Uchegbu, applauded the leadership of the Commission for providing a platform through which the healthcare needs of the people could be addressed.
He urged the people of Oguta LGA and other neighbouring communities to avail themselves of the medical services.
On his part, the Administrator of Arthur Nzeribe General Hospital, Oguta, Rev Fr. Anthony Emereonyeokwe, commended the NDDC for bringing the free medical programme to Oguta and using the facilities of the general hospital.
