BY DENNIS UDOMA, Uyo
The ongoing free medical outreach in the four Clans of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom has entered second week, with Ikot Akpaden in Ikpa Ibom Clan taking it’s turn.
Programme Co – ordinator, Prof. Etete Peters, who commended the NNPC/MPN JVC, EMOIMEE on Tuesday for the sponsorship said, more than 1 million people have so far benefited from the free medical services during the flag – off at the health center within the Council secretariat for Ukpum Minya and Ikot Eda Iffe health center, for Ikpa Ikono Clans respectively in the past one week.
He explained that, the medical exercise which has to do with the host communities making the 7 LGA’s of Eastern Obolo, Mkpat Enin, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mbo, Esit Eket and Eket ( EMOIMEE), was essentially to assist indigenes to access treatment for ( 2 – 3) days in each of the centers, as the programme was brought to them without waiting for the people to come to the hospital.
Prof. Peters noted that, though the programme was initially targeted at 2 million indigenes of the Local Government said, it has exceeded the envisaged target of 2 million with over 500 patients per Clan in the first few days of flag – off with a lot of benefits to the people.
According to him, “the programme from the beginning has highly enhanced the health benefits of the people of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, as it has given patients the opportunity to know their health status.
“We know their numbers and, what is required of them and what they in turn have to do, because; ignorance is a very important component in health management. Most of the people may not even know where to access care.
“So, with the free medical outreach they can ask questions and from the enlightenment and the answers we give, they know what to do as we follow up patients”.
Prof. Peters, himself a former Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Akwa Ibom State also praised the outreach for being useful to Mkpat Enin populace and appealed to the organizers, under the Community Development Trust Fund to make the medical outreach a regular exercise or an annual event.
The exercise, which would end on August 24, 2024 after people in Ikot Idiong, Ibiaku Clan are feted, offers free medical services in general medical check ups; blood pressure and diabetes screening; health education/counseling; free medical distribution; free minor surgical procedures; free eye examination and free medical laboratory test among others.
Earlier, the Board of Trustees (BoT) representative for Mkpat Enin LGA, Engr. Sunny Udoh said, EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust Fund established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, to develop communities hosting oil multinational companies, which Mkpat Enin is among.
He said, part of the development initiatives anchored by the Host Community Development Trust Fund, is the free medical services described as a direct life – touching programme.
“The free medical programme we have today, is a direct life touching exercise, in which, people these days who are sick with different ailments, but does not have the money to go to hospitals, would be beneficiaries”, Engr. Udoh stated.
