No fewer than 1,052 indigenes of Opi community in Nsukka Local Government Area in Enugu have received free medical care from final-year medical students of Enugu State University College of Medicine (ESUCOM).

The students also gave out welfare packages to the indigenes of the community, which included clothes, shoes, bags and toiletries.

The medical outreach featured one-on-one medical consultation and medical test such as blood sugar and pressure levels, malaria check,

HIV/AIDS screening, eye check as well as health talk on prevention of hypertension and diabetes.

Flagging off the medical outreach at the weekend, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Dan Shere, applauded the students for

their great milk of human kindness and sacrifice to locate a remote community in Nsukka for the exercise.

Shere said that the medical outreach would go a long way to improve the health status of the people, as well as prevent illness-induced poverty in the community.

“For the final year students and their lecturers that had backed them up to carry out this wonderful and life sustaining medical outreach, we say a big thank you and the good Lord will surely reward you people.

“I am overwhelmed with the number of specialists’ doctors in various fields of medicine I see here today as well as the quantum of drug and other welfare package to be given free to our people.

“The community had not received such favour before at any time in history. Our joy knows no bound as we are even going to mobilise more people seeing your great level of preparedness for this medical outreach,” he said.

In a remark, Prof. Frank Ezugwu, Dean of ESUCOM (Faculty of Clinical Medicine), noted that it was the first time in the history of the College that students would organise a medical outreach.

Ezugwu said: “They are doing it in a big way. Unimaginable array of medical experts in various areas of specialties, large quantity of drugs and medical commodities, to render this much needed health services to our people.

“I am overwhelmed with what I am seeing here today. I sincerely thank God for making it possible that through my students, my people in Opi, could get such free welfare packages and comprehensive health treatment up to referral level.”

The Students Co-ordinating Officer for the College, Dr Eddy Ndibuagu, revealed that the students were able to pull 16 specialists’ doctors from various fields of medicine and drag them down to Opi community to address the health needs of the people directly.

``Among the specialists’ doctors here, we have internal medicine, community medicine, pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecology, mental health and optometric; and they have agreed to follow cases up at the referral level,” Ndibuagu, who is the Head of Department, Community Medicine in ESUT College, said.

He noted that the doctors were surprised at the number of communicable and non-communicable diseases attended to.

Dr Mike Abonyi, who gave a talk on “Abetting the Scourge of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in our Society, advised residents to cut their starchy food intake and more of fruit and vegetables as well as exercise to reduce weight.

“We must learn to take issues one at a time and have a good rest; while ensuring eating balance diet. For those on medication, you should continue to follow doctor’s advice by taking your drugs regularly,” Abonyi said.

Mr Michael Ozoemena, Class Representative for ESUCOM Graduating Set 2012, said that the medical outreach was a way of giving back to the society and also providing succour to the downtrodden, who might not be able to afford comprehensive healthcare.

“We also want to use the medical outreach to thank our Dean, Prof. Frank Ezeugwu, for his fatherly care and love towards us while our study lasted. This is why we selected his community, Opi, for this outreach.

“We are overwhelmed by the show of appreciation from the community members and their leaders today; which has boosted our spirits to let us (students) know that the efforts and sacrifice for this programme is worth it,” Ozoemena said.

Responding, Igwe Pius Agbo, Traditional Ruler of Opi-Agu Autonomous Community in Opi community, thanked the students for their uncommon show of love and humanitarian service to the people.

“We are grateful to the final year medical students of ESUTH. We must confess that we appreciate the health and longer life this outreach has added to our people,” Agbo, who spoke on behalf of three autonomous traditional rulers in the community, said.

One of the beneficiaries, Ma Nneka Ugwu, thanked the students for the free hypertension and malaria drugs given to her as well as opportunity to meet a doctor for consultation and to explain how she had been feeling to him.

“I thank my children, the medical students who have come from far Enugu to come and see that I am alive and health. I pray God will continue to be with them and provide good jobs for them,” Ugwu prayed.

Another beneficiary, Mr Friday Eze, thanked the students for the free eye drops and eye check he underwent in during the exercise.

The medical outreach, which lasted for over eight hours, also recorded eight referral cases of glaucoma and some cases of cataract to the optometric Unit of ESUCOM, Parklane, Enugu.