Health
US-based physicians to treat over 5,000 patients, perform 200 special surgeries in Abia
The Abia State government has reached an understanding with the Association of Nigerian physicians in America (ANPA) to carry out free medical outreach in the State between the 4th and 14th April this year.
The team, comprising a total of 65 medical practitioners are expected to treat over 5,000 patients and handle about 200 special surgery cases across the State.
A total of 65 centres have been mapped out for the exercise .
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, who dropped these hints during an interactive session with newsmen in Government House, Umuahia, said activities to mark the event started with the flag- off of this year’s polio eradication campaign held at Isialangwa South Local Government area of the state.
He, therefore called on concerned Abians to take advantage of the opportunities to immunize their children against polio as well as register early enough in preparation for surgeries before the arrival of the experts from America.
The Commissioner explained that the objective of the exercise is to ensure that Abians are provided free and easy access to quality health care services.
Prince Kanu also disclosed that the Glaucoma week will commence in the State from the 10th to 16th of this month, stressing that glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness across the globe.
“Government has made adequate preparations to ensure that the medical outreach turns out very successful. In this regard about 65 centres have been identified where Abians are supposed to go and register. Abians are encouraged to register in time, particularly, those who have very serious surgeries or health issues,” he said.
“Surgeries will focus on such areas like colon cancer, prostrate enlargements. The medical outreach and treatments will be free of charge.”
Contributing, the Commissioner for health Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo said the members of the ANPA would arrive the State in few weeks time to conduct rare surgeries for Colon Cancer and prostrate surgeries, among others.
She advised adults from 40 years and above to visit designated centres across the three Senatorial Zones of the State for test before the arrival of the team.
She said, “We are excited and we can’t wait for them to arrive before we start the initial things that ought to be done. The medical doctors are going to conduct some very rare surgeries that we are not able to do right here in Nigeria.
“From this weekend, some of the centres would be made available to start running tests for the people that will access the chronoscope care when they arrive. So the testing has to be done first to qualify for the second care. The centres would include FMC and Specialist Centre, all in Umuahia.”
Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special duties Dr. Betty Emeka-Obasi explained further that the focus of the Governor Otti’s administration is to revolutionize the health sector.
She described the theme for the Glaucoma week “Uniting for a Glaucoma free World,” as commendable.
Noting that Glaucoma is generic, she encouraged everyone to troop- out en- masse for the free test.
Her words: “His Excellency is focused to revamp and revolutionalize the healthcare sector and ensure equitable , accessible and all inclusive quality healthcare delivery. The leading cause of total blindness, in black Africa, is glaucoma and once it causes the blindness, it’s irreversible.”
