A group of United States-based medical doctors offered a four-day free medical services to more than 3,000 indigent persons in Atta Nwambiri, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo.
The experts during the exercise treated men, women, and children that had various health challenges at the Egwedu Health Centre, Atta Nwambiri.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Thursday that the free health mission also witnessed presentation of reading glasses, basic laboratory tests, immunisation and surgery of some beneficiaries.
Dr Alexander Nnabue, the leader of the team, said that the medical personnel, who participated in the exercise, were indigenes of Atta Nwambiri community residing in the United States of America.
He said that they were bothered by the poor health condition of some people living in their country home and decided to organise the medical mission to impact positively on their health status.
Nnabue, also a senior lecturer at Pennsylvania College of Optometry, USA, noted that the pitiable situation had led to many preventable and untimely deaths in the area.
He commended the role of the chairman of the Atta Nwambiri governing council and the Eze’s Cabinet, Chief John Agbasi for facilitating the medical mission through the new Atta Nwambiri Central Union platform.
“As you can see, all of us here are happy that we have come home to give back to our community.
“Over the years, some of us have been looking for ways to contribute to the development of this town.
“However, we noticed that the creation of autonomous communities, rather than enhance development in Atta Nwambiri, deepened disunity of our people.
“We have eight doctors on ground to attend to their vital signs, and take their samples to the laboratories for further investigations and treatment,’’ he said.
He said already, more than 2,000 persons have received free eye glasses, saying that the exercise would open the door for unity and enduring development in the town.
The optometrist, who lamented the poor healthcare delivery system in Nigeria, disclosed that they were already planning on how best to equip the Egwedu community hospital to ensure qualitative healthcare services to people of the area.
Speaking on behalf of the three traditional rulers in the area, Eze Edwin Azike of Atta, who also benefited from the eye check and free glasses service expressed gratitude to the organisers of the exercise.
“On behalf of Umunam Atta, Egwedu and Atta, the three autonomous communities that make up Atta Ancient Kingdom, we are grateful for this programme.
“We pray God to reward you abundantly for remembering our sufferings at home,” he said.
He also called on other indigenes of the community to emulate the Atta doctors in the US in stepping up development of their area.
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