REPORT ON FREE MEDICAL MISSION AND HIV/AIDS SCREENING CONDUCTED AT AWAKA IN OWERRI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA (LGA) IMO STATE, NIGERIA ON MAY 21, 2016
Awaka, Imo State, where medical mission was conducted (Global Literacy Project, Inc., 2006)
Awaka, where medical mission was conducted (Google, 2010)
INTRODUCTION
The following is a synopsis of the medical mission event conducted at Awaka in Owerri North Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria on May 21, 2016. By the Willy-Esther Foundation, Inc., a non-profit, non-government organization (NGO). It was organized with the collaboration of Awaka Go Forward International Center for Youth Development, another NGO located in Awaka. The previous ones were conducted in March 2008, Dec. 2010 and March 2014.
The purpose of the medical mission was to show compassion for the needy in this developing country, Nigeria; to give hope to the hopeless; to contribute our quota in the effort to eradicate HIV/AIDS in Nigeria with main focus on the rural areas.. This is why our slogan is PROJECT: DELTA (doing everything LOCALLY to stop AIDS). It was also to improve healthcare disparity in the area. It was a national day of service for HIV/AIDS; healing the land through HIV/AIDS awareness and engaging in primary and secondary healthcare services. The one day program (Saturday, May 21, 2016) started with an opening ceremony which, among other things and persons, featured the following: Opening prayer by Rev. Fr. Cornelius Ajaegbu, Parish Priest, Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Awaka , Owerri North Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State. Welcome remarks were made by Chief Prof. Alex Acholonu which included a short review of Willy-Esther Foundation (WEF) and how it started, its vision and mission and the free Medical Missions conducted in the past, and plan for the future. He reviewed the services rendered by the Willy-Esther Foundation. They include training students at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels; making donations to institutions, giving new and used clothes to the needy, to the RedCross and Ancillia Motherless Babies Home in Mount Camel Catholic church, Emekuku. He talked about the fact that the Foundation has set up a diagnostic laboratory which would start functioning soon. He thanked the people that came to participatein the Medical Mission especially the Royal Fathers of the Day, His Royal Highness
(HRH) Eze Emmanuel S. Okoro of Emii and HRH Eze Godwin Merenini of Nekede. Remarks were made by the Chair of the occasion, Prof. Chidi Akujor, a Professor of Astro-physics, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and former Vice Chancellor of Imo State University (IMSU); and the Co-Chair, Prof. Jonathan Nnadozie, Dean of Faculty of Health Sciences, IMSU, This was followed by remarks from Evangelist Peter Chima, CEO and Project Coordinator, Awaka Go Forward International Center for Youth Development who handled most of the pre-medical mission on-sitearrangements and the Guest of Honor, Prof. Ndu Eke, Consultant Urologist, University of Port Harcourt and Interim Director, Federal Medical Center (FMC) ,Owerri Imo State. Hon. Paschal Nnadi, Chief Judge of Imo State next spoke and declared the Medical Mission Services for 2016 open and caught the ribbon.
The opening ceremony ended with a Vote of Thanks and closing prayer by Rev. Dr. Clement Amadi, former Assistant. Secretary, Nigeria Baptist Convention, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The medical mission activities started in earnest after Hon. Paschal Nnadi, Chief Judge of Imo State, declared the medical mission open with cutting of the ribbon. A team of medical professionals that participated, included four family doctors, four optometrists, two ophthalmologists, two qualified pharmacists and several nurses and medical laboratory scientists (technologists). The activities conducted included consulting, counseling, and testing, that included malaria, blood pressure, blood sugar, and HIV/AIDS screening and eye tests by optometrists and ophthalmologists. Those who came, were clinically examined by medical doctors and prescribed medicines were given to them in the pharmacy section free of charge by pharmacists.
Rev. Sister Clare Marie Ukaegbu and Mr. Basil Acholonu acted as coordinators of activities with Evang. Peter Chima serving as an all-round man with me. The District Police Officer (DPO) in Owerri North LGA provided security by sending policemen to be bodily present throughout the duration of the medical mission. In addition, the Awaka Vigilante group effectively added to the security. The free medical services which started at 9 am, went on until about six o’clock in the evening. Rain blessed and closed the occasion by starting when we just concluded the free Medical Mission services!
CONCLUSION
About 300 people were treated during the medical mission at Awaka. Of those who volunteered to be screened for HIV/AIDS, only one was positive was positive and has been referred to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) for further action. Many people expressed profound gratitude for our coming to Awaka to conduct the free medical mission and free screening for HIV/AIDS that gave many people a new lease on life. They and our on-ground collaborators, Awaka Go Forward International Center for Youth Development, passionately requested that the Foundation come again and possibly, make it a yearly affair. All the Medical professionals were given certificate of attendance and appreciation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
On behalf of the Willy-Esther Foundation, I wish to express my gratitude to Men’s Club of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Vicksburg, MS, several individuals from St Mary’s Catholic Church, my health care providers, Dr. Tanya Savage- Anderson, Nurse Practitioner, Marvell Spears, Rev .Ernest Ford and his Rose Hill Baptist Church members, my daughter Atty. Esther Streete who contributed much, my colleagues from Alcorn State University, especially Dr. Marta Piva and Dr. Jon Moreno, and other individuals in and out of the State of Mississippi who, through their donations, made this free medical mission a great success.
Special thanks go to Family Health Center of Port Gibson represented by Mr. Marvell Spears, Rite Drugs of Port Gibson, and High Chief Kennedy Okere, MD, President and Founder, Horizon International Medical Mission, for their assistance in procuring drugs.
SUPPLICATION
Those interested in joining us next time are requested to please let us know and join us. Those who can give donation of drugs, laboratory supplies and financial support are requested to please do so. They should contact me at chiefacholonu@yahoo.com or chiefacholonu@alcorn.edu or call 601-636-5903.
Opening Ceremony for The Medical Mission which started with a Traditional Presentation of kola nuts. From left to right: Prof. Nnauozie Co- Chairman, Prof. Akojor, Chairman, Prof. Alex Acholonu President and Founder, Willy-Esther Foundation and Organizer of Medical Mission, Chief Judge Hon. Paschal Nnadi, and Prof. Ndu Eke Interim Director of FMC
An invitation sent to Awaka community and others to attend the Medical Mission.
Cutting of ribbon and declaring open in Medical Mission by
Hon. Chief Judge Paschal Nnadi. (Left of Prof. Acholonu)
