As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, the 2 Brigade Nigerian Army on Thursday offered free medical outreach to over 2000 Akwa Ibom indigenes in Ukanafun Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking to newsmen during the exercise, the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Nasiru Jega, said the medical outreach was a way of the military to extend their services to the civilian populace as part of civil-military relationship.
Jega said that the medical outreach was part of the ongoing military exercise tagged, Exercise EGWU EKE III which was flag off on Dec. 28, 2018 and to end on Feb. 28, 2019.
“The medical outreach is a way of getting across to communities and in this case, it is Ukanafun. Which is one of the areas we decided to pick in order to win the hearts and minds of the populace.
“It is a free medical service whereby we check their medical status and recommend drugs that we think is necessary to make them healthy. That is basically the essence.
“It will go a long way to help our relationship and just as I said, it is civil-military cooperation. That is cooperation between the civilians and the military and winning the hearts and minds, so that it will open up a relationship between the civilian and military,” Jega said.
Also speaking, Maj. Ogheneovo Emedia, Brigade Medical Officer, 2 Brigade Nigerian Army said that over 2500 persons from the community were likely to benefit from the three days exercise.
Emedia, who personally examine some of the patients, said that the outreach would cover checking of blood pressure, eye test, malarial, typhoid, testing for blood sugar level, ECG among others.
According to him, patients would be diagnose and drugs given for treatment while difficult cases would be referred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for further investigation.
“We hope that for the three days, we would be able to see up to 2000 or more. We are expected to have an average of 750 patients on daily basis. We would be here from morning till evening for each day.
“We also brought in Eye Specialists, who are going to conduct eye examination and give the necessary health education on how we can take care of our eyes. We also have the laboratory where we are going to conduct series of serological investigation.
Some of the beneficiaries commended the 2 Brigade Nigerian Army for bringing the medical outreach to Ukanafun community after almost two years of hostilities.
The Ukanafun local government chairman, Mr Uko Idiong thanked the army for the free medical exercise, stressing that the community would ever remain grateful to the army for their king gesture.
“I feel excited today for what the Nigerian Army has done to our people. For the past months, people here were not living in their respective houses because of insecurity.
“I thank the Almighty God for using the Gov. Udom Emmanuel to bring in the Nigerian Army to Ukanafun, so that they can come and settle the insecurity issues in this area.
“Now there is peace in Ukanafun. For the past four months, the people have returned to their respective villages and wards. So there is no kidnapping, no murder and no burning of market any more.
“So we feel very excited because of what the state government through the Nigerian Army has done for the people of ukanafun local government area.
“I am very happy, the entire people of Ukanafun are very happy with the Nigerian Army for this free medical service,” Idiong said.
Chief Etim Eshiet Akpaitoh. Village Head of Ikot Andem, “I have not seen anything as good as this free medical service rendered to us by the Nigerian Army. Since it is a three days outreach, I would keep reaching out to my people so that they can come and benefit from this
free medical service.
One of the beneficiary of the medical service Madam Grace Usen on her part said that she had been sick for a long time but had no money to go to hospital.
“I do not have money to go for medical treatment. I have no money to feed myself but ever since I heard about this free medical outreach, I make sure that I get here as early as 6:00am toady.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the Nigerian Army and State government for this free medical service,” Usen said.
See photos below:
