Over ten thousand people across the Benue State have so far been treated for various ailments in the free medical and surgical outreach sponsored by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumum Utsev.
New Telegraph correspondent who monitored the outreach reports that about 250 surgeries ranging from eyes, hernia and hydrocele have been conducted with about 500 free eyeglasses distributed and drugs worth millions of naira administered to patients.
Technical team lead of the outreach, Dr Thaddeus Aende who disclosed this at Primary Health Care (PHC) Center, Ugbema, Buruku local government area shortly before the commencement of the medical outreach in the area said the exercise witnessed a high turnup of patients in all the centres.
Dr Aende commended the sponsor of the outreach Prof. Utsev, for prioritizing the health and welfare of Benue people, saying the programme has made a significant impact on the health needs of the people especially those in the rural areas.
Representative of the Minister, Mr. John Atune Ngoigyo, who said the programme was targeted at bringing quality health care services closer to the people especially the vulnerable, urged the people to keep faith with the Minister, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom he noted have good intentions for them.
In separate remarks, District Head, Mbaakura, Dzer Ager, and Kindred Head, Mbaagbabo, Shimapever Gwa, both thanked the Minister for committing his personal resources to the wellbeing of his people especially the less privileged, saying the people were proud of him.
The traditional rulers said they had mobilized their subjects to participate in the free medical outreach, and urged them to take advantage of the exercise to access medical services.
A beneficiary, Emmanuel Emberga Mto, who spoke with Sunday Telegraph after a successful surgery said he was grateful to the Minister for the gesture, adding that he was relieved of hernia which was his challenge.
Isaac Ugbema, Dorcas Numbee, and Helen Toryila, all commended the vision of Professor Utsev, for ensuring his people have access to free healthcare, noted that it has brought relief and succour to them and expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume for appointing their son, Professor Utsev as the minister who is so passionate about the welfare of Benue people and bringing dividends of democracy to the State and prayed to God to bless and protect the President, Akume and Utsev to succeed in the task of nation building.
The outreach which commenced last Monday at Primary Health Care Centre Ameladu in Gboko, later moved to Makurdi was rounded off yesterday in Ugbema, Buruku local government area.
