Most Nigerians are not just battling with the economic realities but are also suffering from increased healthcare needs, a Pan-Ikwerre organisation in Rivers State with base in the Diaspora, Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada, has said.
   
This is as the group offered free medical services to over 2,000 persons across the State.  President of the group, Patrick Anyawoke, said the gesture was necessitated by the increasing need to provide healthcare services to those who don’t have the resources to seek medical care but are faced with deteriorating health challenges.  
   
It was learnt that the free medical mission was implemented in partnership with other donor organisations like the Timoson Nig Ltd., Americares, Medical Visions for Peace, University of Port Harcourt Ophthalmology, Medical Women’s Association, Rivers State branch, amongst others.
   
The scheme provided free medicare for various cases including surgeries, tests, drugs administration, breast cancer screening, among others.  The President urged the government and well-meaning individuals to commit to providing health assistance to people with health challenges, stressing that people are in dire need of medicare.
   
He said: “This is the second medical mission. The first medical mission is more like a tip of the iceberg of what we saw then, compared to what we see now. It almost seems like the problem is growing and so we think that we need to do more so that we can support and help provide healthcare needs for our people. 
   
“Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada is very much committed to this so that we can collaborate with the government, anyone who cares to ensure that we can deliver on the healthcare needs of our people.”

Since this medical mission started, we have seen over two thousand people that flew into this place. “This is a sign that people are in dire need of medical care and I wish that we can do this every year, but we are hoping that with the biennial that we are doing we can still touch more lives.
 
“We learnt from the first mission some of the service gaps, so during this edition, we actually did more in terms of bringing more services. We brought something as critical as breast cancer screening. It’s hardly done here and I know that it’s becoming a common disease. Young girls and even elderly people.  
 
 “This is the way it should be and I think that this is time for individuals to bring out their hands and be willing to donate their time and resources to help other people.” 
   
He added that health is greater than wealth because “if you have good health you can definitely live life to a good extent.”  He thanked the partners and volunteers, who pulled their resources to make the programme a success.
   
Also, the Health Administrator for Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada, Dr. Josephine Court, said over two thousand persons have been treated for different ailments in the past three days, with majority of them getting free surgeries.
   
She stated that the free medical mission was made possible by volunteer organisations and members of the Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada. It was gathered that a sexagenarian, who had lived with an ailment for 25 years before the intervention of the free medical mission, was one of the beneficiaries.
   
Her surgery was referred to as the ‘Star Case’ of the five-day free medical mission, which took place at the Emohua Council headquarters, in Rivers State.

The sexagenarian, Rose Dike, who expressed joy over the surgery, was treated for a huge lipoma, which was positioned on her back, close to the neck. Speaking, the Emohua local government Chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, expressed gratitude over the initiative, which was held in his Council.