Imo: Huge Turnout As Princess Onuoha Takes Free Medical Outreach To Okigwe North

In continuation of her charitable works and fulfillment of campaign promise, Princess Miriam Onuoha has flagged off a medical outreach to improve the health of the people of Okigwe North federal constituency in Imo State

Miriam, who is the House of Representatives member for Okigwe North, told THE WHISTLER on Saturday that the outreach received huge turnout of residents.

Beneficiaries received care for various medical conditions ranging from free eye test and treatment, HIV and Hepatitis screening, to surgeries.

Onuoha told THE WHISTLER on the sidelines of the outreach that 87 hernia cases had so far been discovered, out of which 18 persons had successfully undergone surgeries.

People with eye defects were handed recommended glasses, while those with serious conditions have been scheduled for surgery tomorrow (Sunday).

The lawmaker noted that the medical outreach came with complementary food and nutrition support to ensure that the residents were well fed before receiving treatment.

“The outreach is for everybody; women, men and children. It is a free medical outreach that is covering all areas of health, starting from diagnostics, consultations, treatment and surgery, for those that have surgical needs,” she told our correspondent.

“So far we have received about 87 hernia cases and a few appendicitis. Yesterday, about 18 surgeries were successfully carried out and today we intend to continue with the remaining part.

“We are also doing x-ray, HIV, hepatitis B and Hepatitis C screening as well as free eye test and medication. All eye surgeries would be on Sunday (tomorrow). We are also giving out glasses based on the right prescription. There’s also a section for children, i.e. pediatrics.”

Onuoha said the exercise which began on Friday and originally scheduled to end on Sunday, would be extended to Monday to allow more people take advantage of it.

“On Monday morning, we would do a review of cases and then if we have the need for referral or cases we couldn’t handle, we will hook them up with a consultant,” she said.

Onuoha added that the outreach was, “designed to have an after-care package whereby after the surgeries, the medical team would visit the patients to assess their recovery.

“There would be a follow up in December to mark my birthday and also asses how they are doing. Apart from the medical outreach, this would be a continuous door-to-door exercise.

“The home delivery would continue even after the surgeries and consultations. We will follow up with their medication to see if they are keeping to the prescriptions. And then we are backing it up also with food and nutrition support, so they can have proper meal before medication.”

Onuoha noted that for cases that would need attention of consultants, the medical bills would be handled by her team.

She further stated that her passion for humanity and commitment to her campaign promises to the people of Okigwe North prompted her to organize the free medical outreach.

Onuoha recalled that she had promised to partner with them on their “welfare, education, health and nutrition” adding that “those were part of my cardinal points to the women and the youths.”

She said youth empowerment was another key area she is interested in, but noted that the people “have to be healthy to enjoy the empowerment package, so I felt that while also embarking on my sanitation, toilet and borehole projects, as well as rural empowerment and training programmes, I should also embark on the free medical outreach.”

On what more she has in store for the people of Okigwe North, Onuoha said: “I will say improved visibility. As their House of Representatives member at the green chamber, they have been seeing my laudable leadership roles. I’ve been nominated at both national and international levels to speak on local and international issues.

“I’ve chaired committees and I am presently the House Committee Chairman on disability. I have interacted with so many government MDAs to ensure that we get federal employment and intervention programmes for our people.

“I have been able to get government quota for our people by way of the Npower programmes and palliatives as well as relief materials, roads and scholarships which I have given to the best graduating students.”

Asked in what ways the government and private organizations could support her good works, Onuoha said: “Like erosion and ecological problems and international scholarships and grants by the CBN, NIRSAL microfinance loans, Agric loans and enterprise support schemes and other available interventions that are ongoing.”

The first-time federal lawmaker had prior to assuming office embarked on various empowerment programmes, where she had empowered thousands of youths and women of Okigwe North through her Non-Governmental Organisation known as the Initiative for Growth and Self-Employment.

The native of Umunachi Osu-Ama in Insiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State founded different empowerment and charity projects, including the Widows Welfare Initiative and Helping Hands Educational Foundation, which provides scholarships to students from poor backgrounds.