Oak Medical Foundation Holds Impressive Free Medical Outreach in Asaba

A renowned Non-Governnental Organisation, Oak Medical Foundation, has successfully organised a free medical outreach program for residents of Asaba and the environs.

Hundreds of persons with different health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, sight and dental problems, as well as cases requiring chest x-ray and blood screening, turned out for the exercise, which was at the instance of a London – based son of Asaba, Ogbueshi Dr. Richard Keshi, who is also the Chairman of the Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Jude Obasogie, said it was in the spirit of giving back to society, explaining that the emphasis on health stemmed from the fact that the Foundation was concerned about building a healthy and active society.

Mr Obasogie revealed that the medical outreach had been taken to five Local Government Areas in the state, Oshimili South making it the sixth, pointing out that all the LGAs in the state and beyond would be reached with the program in due course.

He said beyond free consultation and treatment, referrals to the Foundation’s retainership clinics and cataract surgery were also part of the package, with follow up on the patients thereafter completely free.

The Executive Director described the hospitality of Asaba people as encouraging and inspiring, and specially thanked the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON; for adding value to the outreach with his royal presence.

Flagging off the program, Asagba Prof Azinge thanked Ogbueshi Dr. Richard Keshi for intervening in the health needs of the people through the most comprehensive and expansive free medical outreach ever in Asaba, effectively supervised by the Keshi family of Ogbogo village, and for his promise to donate a dialysis machine to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.

The Monarch noted that the program afforded many, who could not afford to visit the hospitals, the opportunity to access healthcare free of charge, and expressed appreciation to the sponsor for his think home philosophy, while urging other sons of the Asaba to continue to contribute to the development of the community and the welfare of the people.

Also speaking, a member of the Keshi family, Ogbueshi Francis Keshi; said the Oak Medical Foundation was founded in memory of their grandfather, Diokpa Ogbueshi Charles Okonkwo Keshi; and expressed delight that the free medical outreach was adjudged to be the most comprehensive in the history of Asaba.

For his part, the Chairman, Asaba Healthcare Management Committee and Ojemba Ahaba, Chief Prof Luke Anyanwu; said Ogbueshi Dr. Richard Keshi was his student in Medical School and a member of the Healthcare Management Committee, describing his initiative as complementary to the vision of Asagba Prof Azinge to make healthcare services available to the people of Asaba.

The Executive Secretary of the Foundation and Head of the medical team, Dr. Mrs Angela Obasogie; said the organisation was out for philanthropy, which the Ogbogo outreach represented, assuring that the program would be sustained by the medical experts in the team.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke in separate interviews with Journalists, were full of appreciation for Oak Foundation for meeting them at the points of their health needs and prayed God to reward Ogbueshi Dr. Richard Keshi and members of his team.