Ondo riverine communities benefit from NNPC/Chevron N7.5m free medical outreach

No fewer than 700 residents of riverine communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Saturday benefited from the NNPC/Chevron joint venture free medical treatment, with drugs worth over N7.5 million.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that residents of Odofado, Gbagura and Akinsolu communities benefitted from the free medical outreach organised and facilitated by Ilaje Rural Development Advocacy Committee (IRDC).

Mrs Edna Eyiwunmi, coordinator of the medical team, said that various medical experts including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other mecical attendants were deployed for the free medical outreach.

She said that the beneficiaries including children, women and the aged were diagonised of various ailments, especially malaria, typhoid, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, skin diseases, headache and body pains among others.

“Medical experts in various fields were deployed, several cases were diagonised especially malaria and typhoid, appropriate drugs were given to them and they are responding to treatment.

“They were given several treated mosquito nets, diapers for children, drugs and instant treatment but the cases bigger than us were referred to the General Hospital in Igbokoda,” Eyiwunmi said.

Mr Elo Akpoveri, the Project Review Committee, Modern Smart Development Commission, an arm of NNPC/Chevron, said that the free medical outreach was aimed at giving back to the riverine communities, who lack access to proper medical care.

“Bringing free medical care and drugs to the riverine communities is a way of giving back to them because of inaccessible medical care and this has been on for 10 years and it can only be sustained and get better,” he said.

Mr Omokulere Ayesemitan, IRDC Vice-Chairman, thanked NNPC/Chevron for the laudable programme, and commended the quality of medical experts and drugs given to the beneficiaries, which he said cost not less than N7.5 million.

He also thanked the riverine communities who trooped out for the free medical outreach, which he said had offered them opportunity to be diagonised and given quality drugs.

Chief Banjo Akinruntan, traditional head of Gbagura Community, who spoke on behalf of all the riverine residents, said the outreach had been of immense medical benefit for the riverine communities.

“We thank the medical team for their conscious efforts on our people, I thank the IRDC for fast tracking this programme and also thank the oil giants for sponsoring the medical outreach,” Akinruntan said.

NAN reports that IRDC is a community-based organisation established in 2005 under GMoU, to bring succour to the oil communities through initiation of various programme and projects sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Ltd.