Peter Duru, Makurdi

The people of Ai’dogodo-Okpoga, Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue
State and its environs have had to contend with the near lack of medical services in the community.

For them, the benefit of medical services could only come when Dr. Inncocent Ujah, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the immediate past President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, FUHSO, extended that intervention to the community, which is also his hometown.

And just a few days ago, the elderly, the poor and the needy, totaling over 700, in that community, could not hide their excitement and relief following the three days’ free medical services that were availed to them by a son they cherish
so much.

The Apa College of Education, ACOE, Ai’dogodo-Okpoga venue of the outreach became a medical resort of some sort under the auspices of the Great Ujah Abah
(Endia Aboche) Memorial Medical Outreach Programme, EMMOP.

People of all ages with various medical challenges, some aided by relatives from parts of the communities, thronged the venue of the outreach to get tested and treated for free by close to 20 medical personnel and specialists gathered for the mission by the sponsor, which also coincided with a special thanksgiving commemorating the award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, recently bestowed on him by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

Addressing the gathering to formally flag off the medical intervention, Prof. Ujah who expressed gratitude to God for making it possible for the exercise to hold, said the annual free medical outreach was his personal initiative to help the poor in his immediate community and beyond get quality healthcare services in remembrance of his late father who, he said, did so much for him and humanity while alive.

He revealed that the medical doctors and consultants providing services at the outreach came from all over
Nigeria; some, he said, “were my students, bosom friends, and associates who saw the importance of bettering people’s lives as a way of giving back to society”.

While promising to sustain the intervention, the medical expert added that “over 120 new eyeglasses are also available for distribution for free, while those with special cases shall be identified, referred, supported, and treated free of charge.”

Prof. Ujah who revealed that he did medicine for his community, also posited that “providing free health care services for them is my greatest achievement in life”.

He appealed to public-spirited individuals, NGOs, politicians and philanthropists to support his initiative and build primary healthcare centres in the area to salvage the situation on a permanent basis.

While lauding his people, particularly the traditional institution for always supporting him, Prof. Ujah said: “I must say that I pay my allegiance to the traditional rulers, I made my intentions known to them, and they gave me their blessings.”

Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, CPC, of the outreach, Dr. Anthony Onoja, an Associate Professor, observed that the turnout was massive and had grown over time since the commencement of the programme.

He assured them that there were enough medical experts from different branches of medical practice to cater to the medical needs of the people, explaining that they were prepared to attend to all the patients’ health needs. Dr. Onoja, who was also chairman of the last edition, noted that they attended to over 625 patients in 2021, but over 700 were on the cards to benefit from the exercise.