The Nigerian Naval College and Nigerian Navy Medical Center, Onne, have conducted a one-day free medical outreach at Ikpokiri community in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers state.
Speaking at the venue of the outreach, the commandant of the college, Commodore Pakiribo Anabrabra, said the Nigerian Navy is giving the free healthcare services as part of its corporate social responsibility to its host communities.
He added that the exercise was also part of efforts to enhance civil-military cooperation in checking criminality in their host communities in line with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral AZ Gambo.
“We have a Chief Of the Naval Staff that has zero tolerance for maritime crimes. He wants the maritime environment to be completely free of crime and criminality. And so, he feels that to achieve this, naval units and establishments in the coastal communities should maintain cordiality with our host communities. So, he has provided all the resources that are needed to carry out civil-military relations activities such as the Medical Rapsody to make sure that the communities are happy and when you tell them not to engage in criminalities, they will obey and be poised to give you information. So, that is the essence of this medical outreach and it is purely powered by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral AZ Gambo”.
In his speech, the commandant of Nigerian Navy Medical Centre,Onne, Captain Aliyu Oyeleyin, said that residents would have opportunity to check their blood pressure, eye and teeth while children would be de-wormed.
He further said that drugs would be given to patients suffering from malaria, diabetes and hypertension and that insecticides treated mosquito nets would be distributed to pregnant women.
” The medical outreach is to build trust. Today, it is taking place at Ikpokiri community. As you are aware, the Nigerian Navy institution is located in Onne area and to buid that trust and civil-military relations, it is important we give back to the society.
“We are going to carry out some basic eye , dental checks, running of labotatory test. Also, we have drugs to give to the good people of this community. We will also enlighten and create awareness about all health care challenges”, he stated
Furthermore, he urged those who were not taken care of to visit the college medical centre for treatment.
“There are some people that cannot be taken care of because of the peculiarity of their medical conditions, they have been given grace of between now and end of February to avail themselves at our medical centre for treatment. Registration will be at a very discounted cost to them”, he said.
Beneficiariies could not hide their joy as they thanked the Nigerian Navy for the outreach that impacted positively on the community.
In his remarks, Chief Livingstone Worika, a member of Council of Chiefs , Place of Torukongo Community, Ikpokiri, commended the Chief of the Naval Staff for the gesture and prayed God to bless him.
On her part, Mrs Mabel Prince who received screening and treatment for ulcer and High B.P, appreciated the Navy for providing succour to the less privileged, the aged and children in the community.
Another beneficiary, Elder Golden Chuku, who complained of excruciating waist pain, expressed joy at the medical outreach, and called for its continuity.
