The Opolo-Epie Community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has described the Federal Government’s free medical outreach in Bayelsa and other Niger Delta States, as a welcome development, saying the gesture had shown government’s concern for their plight.
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, in collaboration with Vision Savers Limited, took its on-going free medical initiative on Rollback malaria, eye surgery, distribution of eye glasses, testing and treatment for cancer, testing and distribution of drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS virus, and other ailments, to the people of Bayelsa State at Opolo Epie community over the weekend.
“We are facing a lot of medical challenges, especially eye problems because of the oil and gas pollutions”, the people lamented.
Commending the efforts of the Federal Government, the traditional ruler of Opolo-Epie Kingdom, His Royal Highness, King Gabriel Ekezi, said many of his people have suffered several health challenges over the years, because of their inability to access medical services in hospitals.
King Ekezi charged his people to cooperate with the medical team so as to enjoy the free medical services, saying it was the first of its kind in the area.
Corroborating the statements of his counterpart from Opolo, His Royal Majesty, King Akile Nwaku, the Pere of Biseni Kingdom, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, also urged the Federal Government to extend the gesture to the various kingdoms in the State, so as to touch thousands of less privileged people who were suffering from various degrees of ailments.
In his remarks at the event, the Director General, State Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (SACA) in Bayelsa State, Ogregade Ileimokumo, lauded the Federal Government for the initiative. He added that the medical outreach had afforded many people from the informal sector in the area, access to free medical services.
The SACA Director General enjoined people to always go for early detection and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other contagious ailments to avoid sudden death.
Earlier, while declaring the event open, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Aminu Aliyu Bisalla, represented by the Bayelsa State Coordinator of the Ministry, Augustine Odia said the Ministry embarked on the medical outreach in order to ensure a healthy living for the people of the Niger Delta region.
Over 5,000 people in the Niger Delta region have so far benefited from the on-going medical outreach by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in the oil rich region.
Stephen Kilebi
Deputy Director (Press)
