Some United States-based medical practitioners under the aegis of the Lifted Hands Incorporated, held a two-day free medical outreach, donated books, bags and other items to the people of Ogidi Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Group said the gesture was aimed at assisting Ogidi Community and the less privileged people, including the elderly and the young ones have access to quality healthcare, and also for the young ones to boost to their education pursuit.
Moses Okaro, President and Founder of the Lifted Hands, told journalists at the Ogidi Town Hall, the venue of the event, that the outreach was to assist the people to get free medications and free surgeries on ailments such as eye problems, diabetes, malaria, high blood pressure, mental health checks and dental screening.
Okaro said the programme was designed for those who could not afford medical treatment, stressing that about 5,000 people benefited from the free medical outreach.
About 1000 children received school bags and 15,000 exercise books free in the “Giving back to school kits” of the second day’s Children funfair, courtesy of Okaro children.
He noted that the initiative which had lasted for 15 years is an annual event in memory of their late mother, Gladys Okaro.
He explained that about 120 medical personnel, doctors, nurses and pharmacists, all volunteers from the US and different parts of the country were on the ground participating in the programme.
“I am from here helping my community. This is one thing I love doing. It makes me happy, I am just super happy doing this, when I see smiles on people’s faces, it makes happy.
“This mission, we have been doing it close to 15 years, for the past 5 years we have been back to back coming from America to do this every year
“There is no sponsorship apart from the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Alex Onyido, that give us medications. It is costing us a whole lots of money. We have about 75 nurses on ground, about 25-30 medical doctors, pharmacists, lab scientists and others here.
“We have a lot rich people here, if they could do this helping out, a lot of people will be out of sickness.
“You can imagine somebody with sugar level up to 490-540 unknowingly and still walk around. If people can come together and help, such would reduced. I am not doing it for any monetary gain, but adding values to others’ lives.
“The space we are doing it is getting smaller and we decided to expand, move it to the town to avoid over crowded.
“We have about 15-20 special cases including an orthopedic case referred to the general hospital, and we are going to clear the hospital bills because they are from us,” Okaro affirmed.
Okaro also led a medical team to visit the Anambra Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Centre for Mentally Challenged, with about 39 inmates where he donated drugs worth millions of naira.
He pledged N400,000 monthly stipend to the mentally home alongside members of his team. He also supported the Okechukwu and Love Foundation medical outreach with his medical team in Abatete community.
Igwe Onyido, the traditional ruler of the event and also a trained pharmacist, commended the Okaro family for the program for years.
“For me, it is amazing. I am highly excited for this gesture of touching the lives of my people medically. They come from abroad and do this yearly, God will reward the family abundantly,” he said.
Mr Ify Obinabo, Commissioner for Women Affairs also commended the family for giving to the society the received God’s abundant blessings to them.
“We will partner with the NGO, they are really helping the people. I am a beneficiary, I enjoyed part of their good. Sometimes, ago I swallowed bone and they helped me,” she said.
Emmanuel Okafor, one of the beneficiaries who had free eye check and glasses poured encomium on the Okaro family, asking God to continue providing for them to touch more lives.
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