TOWARDS achieving its mandate to cater
for the sick and ensure easy access to healthcare services by the rural
dwellers, the O5 Initiative, a pet project of the Wife of the Delta State
Governor, Dame Edith Okowa, recently launched a state-wide free medical
outreach targeted at the grassroots.
OUTREACH: Mrs. Edith Okowa, Wife of the
Governor of Delta State/Founder 05 Initiative in the Theatre while Dr Ernest
Ogbede performs the eye surgery Flagging off the programme at Government
Hospital, Umunede in Ika North East Government area, th Okowa, who spoke
in Ika language, said it was not accidental that the medical campaign which
would berth in the 25 local government councils of the state was kicked-off
from Ika North East. Highlights of the three-day programme included free
screening/treatment for eyesight, distribution of glasses and mosquito nets;
consultation and counselling on family planning and other primary health care
services.
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| OUTREACH:
Mrs. Edith Okowa, Wife of the Governor of Delta State/Founder 05 Initiative in
the Theatre while Dr Ernest Ogbede performs the eye surgery |
For dwellers in the community, the outreach was welcome
relief as they expressed gratitude to O5 Initiative and other partners
including, Restore Sight Africa Initiative and Delta State Primary Health Care
Development Agency. In his welcome address, Chairman, Ika North East Council
Area, Barr.
Victor Ebonka, said improved access to good health care was “one of
the cardinal points of Universal Health Leverage” as well as “direct fulfilment
of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s SMART Agenda No. 4”. The Founder of Restore Sight
Africa Initiative, Dr. Ernest Ogbedo, decried the presence of virtually all the
medical facilities in the rural areas while most of those affected resided in
the rural settings.
“It is for this reason we decided to come to the grassroots
and reach out to the poor with free medicare,” Ogbedo who described the focus
as caring for the poor and caring for the less-privileged, said
over 40,000 Deltans are blind with over 20,000 suffering from cataract of which
majority arw women. “We’re here to help you deal with the cataract and other
eyes problems.
Just come and avail yourselves of this opportunity,” he enjoined
the people. On her part, Dr. Isioma Okobah, Chairman, Delta State Primary
Health Care Development Agency, said the outreach was a rare opportunity
for the people to screen for Blood Pressure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other
primary health care services and enjoined them to maximize the opportunity.
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