No fewer than 16,000 patients, including pregnant women, children and widows, have received free medical treatment in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State during the free annual medical outreach sponsored by the Universal Energy Resources limited, an indigenous oil and gas production company based in the state.
The five-day health clinic, which began on Tuesday, ended on Saturday at the Ebughu Primary Health Centre in the local government area.
The company, in a statement by it Corporate Communication Officer, Aniwura Omolayo, on Saturday, said owing to the surge in the demand for medical treatment every year, which exceeded the firm’s initial target of 3,000, the marginal field operator no longer placed limitations on the number of beneficiaries allowed from a particular home or household.
The statement read in part, “Each year, the number of beneficiaries exceeds Oriental Energy’s target of 3,000. In 2018 alone, 4,012 people received treatment, while the following year saw 4,634 in attendance and post-COVID by 2021, 4,486 beneficiaries were recorded.
“As a result, the marginal field operator placed no limit on the number of beneficiaries allowed from a family, home, or household. This year’s outreach brought the total number of beneficiaries to more than 16,000.”
According to the statement, the Managing Director of the company, Mustafa Indimi, had while declaring the event open stated that the broad range of medical services provided during the clinic was based on guidelines and approval received from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health.
Indimi, who was represented by the Head of Community Relations, Dr Uwem Ite, stated that the primary objectives of this year’s outreach was to improve health outcomes of the host communities by addressing unmet needs for various aspects of healthcare delivery.
He said, “The five-day outreach is a demonstration of our long-term commitment to contributing to sustainable development in the Mbo Local Government Area in particular, and Akwa Ibom State in general.
“It is also our contribution to the achievements of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promotion of well-being for all at all ages. The main objective of this year’s outreach is to improve health outcomes by addressing unmet needs for various aspects of healthcare delivery.”
