Chairman of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, Dr. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, has urgently pleaded with the governments at all levels to address the high cost of healthcare leading to avoidable deaths in the country.

The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation organises free medical outreaches for the underserved and underprivileged in the Niger Delta. Since 2005, the Foundation has treated over 152,055 men, women and children in rural and peri-urban areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers and Rivers states.

Lulu-Briggs noted that reducing costs has become crucial when the cost of living and healthcare have skyrocketed, leaving Nigerians at a “point when they can no longer pay for healthcare at all.”

Lulu-Briggs, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 40th Free Medical Mission of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation at Comprehensive Health Centre, Deken, Gokana Local Council of Rivers State on Wednesday, July 31, warned that the high cost of healthcare in the country impoverishes, having catastrophic impacts on households.

Citing the latest reports on the dire healthcare situation in the country, and how it is affecting households, the philanthropist said the Foundation had hoped that it would have stopped its medical interventions at the grassroots by now and moved to other vital issues in the health sector.