Displaced persons laud PCNI free medical intervention in Borno

Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri have lauded the free medical programme initiated by the Presidential Committee for North-East Initiative (PCNI).

PCNI had conducted a 7-day free medical treatment for 2, 000 persons displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in Maiduguri, the host community.

A cross section of the beneficiaries who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Maiduguri, described the gesture as commendable, noting that it had improved their health status.

Malam Kaka Ali, one of the beneficiaries, said that he was treated of cataract disease in the exercise held at the Moloi General Hospital, Maiduguri.

“I could barely see before due to impaired vision. I regained my vision after the surgical operation.

“They examined my eyes and treated the disease. I also received free drugs and other medications,’’ Ali said.

Zara Umaru said that she benefited from post natal services, adding that she was now feeling better.

Mr Sadiq Rufai said that he was treated of malaria during the exercise.

“I am sick; I came to the clinic for diagnosis, and I received free drugs”.

PCNI’s Vice Chairman, Dr Tijjani Tumsa, had disclosed that the committee had spent about N48 million on staffing, logistics and provision of drugs to facilitate smooth conduct of the exercise.

Tumsa said that the exercise was designed to enable displaced persons to access free treatment and medical services under its healthcare outreach.

He disclosed that over 2, 000 people were targeted for treatment into variety of interventions from eye care; dental care and general surgeries particularly with maternal and child health.

The vice chairman said that the exercise was part of a comprehensive programme aimed at the improvement of health status of the displaced persons in the war ravaged region.

“The Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI) is guided by a document that is the strategic implementation plans for intervention in the North-East.

“One of the components is to intervene in health sector in a way that it would impact directly on the people,” he said.

Tumsa disclosed that similar exercise was conducted in Yobe, and that plans were underway to expand the outreach to Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states.

According to him, the medical outreach was conducted in collaboration with the Borno Government and an NGO, Pro- Health International.