From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The team of 82 foreign doctors carrying out a medical mission at Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State have treated no fewer than 1,000 patients from various parts of the state.
The doctors from the United States, Sweden and Canada, under the aegis of VOOM Foundation and the Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation (SEOF) held a first class community health fair to round off their mission at Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital (DIOMH), Oraifite.
The beneficiaries underwent cardiovascular evaluation, checks for eye defects and general medical checks as well as provision of eyeglasses.
Mobility aids were also distributed to people who had difficulty in walking just as special gift packs were shared to the people, all geared towards uplifting lives and giving back to society.
Executive Director, SEOF, Mrs Chidinma Okoye, in her remarks, said: “In this September and October mission of the VOOM Foundation, successful free open heart surgeries were carried out on 29 children while over 15 adults received a subsidized bill for the open heart surgeries performed on them.
“Some adults who couldn’t pay the subsidized bills were operated on free of charge by those international medical volunteers.
“During the free medical care programme also, interveinal cardiologists joined the medical experts and performed interveinal catheterizations on 10 children, the Foundation also partnered Immaculate Heart Eye Clinic, Nkpor, in terms of manpower to address many people with eye defects.
“With the conclusion of the medical mission, a total of 120 open heart surgeries have been successfully carried out at the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital Oraifite since the inauguration of the world class cardiovascular facility two years ago.”
Executive Director of the VOOM Foundation, United States of America, Shawn Andaya Pulliam, revealed that the 82 volunteer medical doctors that came from USA and other parts of the world to Anambra were uncompromisingly committed to the good of humanity.
Describing the medical mission as a huge milestone for the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital, Coordinator of VOOM Foundation medical missions, Rachael Crandall called for more support from the government, individuals, and organizations.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ukamaka Onuigbo, Peace Nwabueze, and Onyinyechi Onwe thanked Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa for his philanthropy and prayed God to bless him the more.