Over 15,000 Indigent Mbaise Indigenes Receive Healthcare From Mbaise USA, Emma Njoku Foundation
The people of Mbaise and it’s environs numbering over fifteen thousand (15,000) have expressed delight, gratitude and jubilation as healthcare delivery system was brought to their door steps through the benevolence of Mbaise citizens resident in USA and Emma Njoku Foundation.
EMMANUEL MGBEAHURIKE captures the scenario.
The medical mission which kicked off from April 25th to 29th, 2023, witnessed beehive of medical activities across the nooks and crannies of Mbaise nation.
Mbaise comprises three local government areas namely; Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ezinihitte Mbaise. It is also made up of five clans of Agbaja, Oke-Ovuru, Ahiara, Ekwerazu and Ezinihitte.
The yearly free medical mission which is usually embarked upon by the Mbaise USA Inc has come to stay. Due to its uniqueness, this year’s edition making it the 13th in line was partnered with another philanthropist, Emma Njoku Foundation with the aim of expanding the scope and reaching every vicinity of the land.
According to the ebullient Vice President, Mbaise USA, Ezeji Aguwa Alozie, the annual event is one phenomenal event, initiative or program in Mbaise that is most highly anticipated, communally-engaging and significantly life-changing.
He submitted that the event epitomizes the Annual Mbaise Medical Mission, a brainchild of Mbaise USA Incorporated.
Ezeji Agunwa, fondly called (Odoziobodo) highlighted that “2023 medical mission marks the 13th edition and it was a break from the norm in terms of number of communities hosting simultaneously across the three LGAs in Mbaise, quantity of medications and health items, Medical personnel as well as the number of volunteers. All thanks to the support and partnership of Emma Njoku Foundation founded by Mr. Philanthropist Extraordinaire, Barr. Emma Njoku from Umuneato Autonomous Community, Eziala Nguru.
“Emma Njoku Foundation is indeed living up to her mission albeit exceedingly given that the Foundation embarked on this huge Partnership with Mbaise USA in less than six months after her three days medical outreach across the three LGAs of Mbaise in December 2022. Awesome!”
However, it is instructive to note that the Programme of the medical mission was spread in such a way that all parts of Mbaise was covered.
In Aboh Mbaise: the areas covered included, Eziala Nguru Health Centre in Umuneato Autonomous Community, Mbutu Secondary School, Holy Rosary Hospital, Ogbor Nguru, Eziala Nkaohu Health Centre and was later extended to Umuoda Autonomous Community at Juliana Ikwunna Memorial Health Centre.
Expectedly, in Ahiazu Mbaise, the medical team covered: Pater Noster Secondary School, Mpam hosting Mpam and Ihitte Aforukwu Autonomous Communities and also Madonna Medical Centre Aguneze.
And in Ezinihitte Mbaise, the team engaged patients at: The Health Centre at Oparachi Ihitte for Ihitte people and St. Augustine Secondary School Obizi.
Recalling the activities of the medical team for the week-long event, with its camping, distribution and take-off point at Chris VI (6) Hotel Eke Ahiara, it was indeed a fantastic outing.
The flag-off ceremony took place at Eziala Nkaohu Health Centre with the Chairman of Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Leo Nwokocha (Atodire) and the President General of Ezuruezu Mbaise, Barr. Cyril Anyanwu was in attendance.
The day usually begins with breakfast and prep talks and ends with dinner and prep talks. Adequate security was provided to ensure safe and hitch-free activities across the eight designated Centres.
Anyone in Mbaise within those 5 days must have noticed heavy military presence with two armoured tanks and several patrol vans filled with Soldiers. Insecurity is nonetheless taking a toll on the collective peace and progress of Imo People. The huge amount expended to hire that number of soldiers and the armoury could have been used for more meaningful impact in the course of the medical mission if there were no palpable security threats or challenges.
In terms of medication and materials, the quantity and quality stock of Over-the-Counter drugs, medical equipment and special needs materials like wheelchairs is highly commendable. The mission also boasts of professional medical practitioners ranging from Surgeons, Physicians, Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Nurses and dentists as well as Logistics personnel.
In a statement, the President, Mbaise USA Inc, Sir S.O.S Echendu stressed that the free Medical Mission is an annual mission aimed at bridging the gap in meeting up with the healthcare needs of the less fortunate ones in our rural communities who cannot afford the high cost of obtaining medical attention when they are sick.
He further highlighted that it was such a mission that “led to mobilizing Ndi Mbaise in the Diaspora and other partners in realization of the 2023 Medical Mission which could not hold during the COVID era.” Sir Echendu also appreciated the Mbaise USA Medical Mission collaboration with Emma Njoku Foundation in Nigeria.
The brilliant, charismatic, energetic and eloquent Vice President of Mbaise USA, Ezeji Alozie Aguwa (Odozi Obodo) who was on ground to represent the Executive leadership, noted “Mbaise USA is a non-profit Organization, founded in the spirit of Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya (Be Your Brothers’ Keeper) in 2008 by Mbaise People resident in the United States of America to render charitable and community services to Mbaise People back home and to foster developments in Mbaise. The medical Mission is one of the programs of the Organization and it started in 2011.”
The 2023 Medical Mission delegation was ably led by the self-effacing, soft-spoken and highly coordinated Chairman, Prince Richard Nwachukwu Abii.
The head of Logistics of the team, Dr. John Ihuoma, said that the total number of patients attended across the eight centres was overwhelmingly and exceedingly above their targeted numbers by 80 percent.
“Over 200 surgical operations were successful, except for one complicated case that was transferred to Federal Medical Centre Owerri. He was later re-transferred to another hospital at a critical point all thanks to the timely intervention of the Head of Medicals, Dr. Emeka Onuoha.”
Interestingly, at the Surgical Operation Centre, Holy Rosary Hospital, Ogbor Nguru, Barr. Emma Njoku who flew in visited the facility in the nick of time, in the company of the Emma Njoku Foundation Team and the Vice President of Mbaise USA, Ezeji Alozie Aguwa.
Observing the overwhelming and difficult situation which portends that over 160 patients with surgical cases may not be attended to due to the 29th deadline and budgetary constraints, he (Barr. Emma Njoku) reassured the visibly disappointed and grumbling patients that none of them will be left behind or unattended to. Njoku, however, liaised with the Vice President of Mbaise USA and agreed to defray the extra costs of surgical Operations of the remaining patients thereby extending the Surgical Operations beyond April 29th- meant to be the last day of the medical mission as planned. With this extraordinary gesture, he saved the day and of course, more lives.
It is essential to note that the Mbaise Medical Mission, although targeted at Mbaise People, also accommodates non-Mbaise people from other communities.. In fact some Non-Mbaise People, especially those from Imo State look forward to the Medical mission as much as Mbaise People do.
A testimony from a particular young man from Orlu who is ever grateful to Mbaise medical mission for a successful surgery performed on his elbow to remove a growth. More so, some of the medical volunteers are non-Mbaise People – who wished the mission is replicated in their own communities.
At the end of the assignment, Barr. Emma Njoku hosted the Mbaise Medical Mission Delegation, the volunteers to a dinner party at the new ultra modern Eziala Town Hall, which he single-handedly built for his community and which is unarguably the best community Town Hall in Mbaise.
It is difficult to recount the experience of the medical mission without being emotional given the huge number of elderly ones and less privileged people of different age brackets that desperately needed medical attention. You can’t but let out a tear drop, if you are sensitive- looking at the faces and conditions of some of the patients cum beneficiaries.
It was a mixed feeling, emotional, humbling, inspiring, revealing, promising and adventurous. The Medical mission provided opportunity for networking and empowerment for several local operators apart from the far-reaching impact of delivering free medical solutions to over 15 thousand less privileged citizenry in Mbaise and environs.
