Akwa Ibom People Celebrate Governor Umo Eno's Free Medical Outreach

The free medical outreach organized by the Government of Akwa Ibom State to complement the three-day State wide Crusade has provided succour to the State citizens with various health challenges as they receive treatments expressing gratitude for the medical interventions.

These sentiments were expressed at the Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, as the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, undertook an on-the-spot assessment of facilities as well as appraisal of the conduct of the medical outreach.

The overtly delighted Governor Eno, welcomed the people to the programme, expressed satisfaction over the turn out and cooperation of the people with the medical personnel, and lauded the health workers for their humane disposition towards the patients especially the aged and for accepting to offer voluntary services.

Governor Eno said that the initiative of the medical outreach was informed by the need to take advantage of the large crowd expected at the three-day crusade organized by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Fathers in Faith for Good Governance, to provide free medical services to the people, who may not be able to patronize regular hospitals for various reasons.

"The primary duty of Government is to provide safety, security, health, food for the people. That's why we are trying to do it at every opportunity that we find ourselves . That is just what informed our decision to embark on this outreach."

"For me, if CAN is organizing a crusade and bringing the people, we need to take advantage of the gathering. So we take advantage of the crowd that is coming for the crusade in the evening and treat them in the morning. The Ministry of health is mandated to take that advantage."

"The Ministry of Health is doing a great work here. I have gone round and seen professors, consultants. They are doing all of the works together on a voluntary capacity," he said.

Giving an overview of the medical outreach, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Augustine Umoh, said that his Ministry has set out modalities to ensure optimum services to the people, free of charge, in line with the governor's expectations, assuring that the programme will continue for three days to ensure due attention to the teaming crowd and encouraged all to maintain calm and orderliness.

He added that services including consultations, administration of medications and surgeries are undertaken courtesy of Governor Umo Eno, affirming that so far screenings have been conducted to detect cases ranging from malaria, cancer, HIV, eye and tooth defects, hernia, hydroceles and more, handy treatment given and provisions made doe follow ups where necessary.

The State CAN Chairman, Rev. Christian Nyong, described the Governor's gesture in providing the medical outreach to complement the crusade as partnering God to impact the lives of the people of the state, affirming the readiness of the state apex Christian body to host the people of the state in a three-day spiritual exercise, while assuring the people of an encounter with God.

Also, the Lead Pastor of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, described the passion of Pastor Umo Eno towards his people as phenomenal and pleasing to God, expressing optimism that with such love in the atmosphere, heaven will touch the earth in Akwa Ibom State during the crusade.

A patient diagnosed of malaria and a retired police officer diagnosed of prostate hinted that doctors that they used to queue for too long to see at the hospital were attending to them with ease and so much kindness and extolled the gesture of Governor Umo Eno for availing them the services and free drugs.