At least 100 indigent persons in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi on Saturday received free screening and medical checks.

The free medical outreach was organised by Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO), a pet project of Ebonyi Governor’s wife, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, at Oferekpe Agbaja Primary School.

The programme was organised in partnership with Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund, amongst others.

Speaking at the occasion, Mrs Nwifuru, who is the founder of BERWO, said she was poised to provide free healthcare to indigent citizens of the state.

She said that the intervention was in line with the spirit of the Christmas season and to step down the mandate of her pet project to provide better health for the rural populace.

Mrs Nwifuru said she was committed to ensuring that the foundation would continue to touch the lives of the people in the state.

In a remark, the chief medical director of AE-FUTHA, Prof. Robinson Onoh, said the exercise was designed to ensure that the passion of providing basic healthcare delivery by the governor’s wife was achieved at the grassroot.

Mr Onoh said that his team would be providing eye, dental, general body screening, paediatrics and surgical, among other medical checks.

He said the exercise would also be carried out in the 13 LGAs of the state.

In separate remarks, the state coordinator of WHO, Vivian Ibeako, said it would ensure that people were referred to the right medical care.

“We are also encouraging them with some items to access healthcare,” Ms Ibeako said.

The zonal coordinator, association of micro credit institution of Nigeria, Comfort Nweke, commended the governor’s wife for her efforts and pledged to continue to support her initiatives.

Two beneficiaries, Slyvester Nwibo and Nwaka Nwebonyi, thanked the governor’s wife for the exercise and appealed that it should be sustained.

(NAN)