500 Delta community residents benefit from NAS free medical outreach

Residents of Igini community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, have lauded the National Association of Seadogs, otherwise known as Pyrates Confraternity for attending to the health challenges of over 500 residents during its medical outreach programme tagged ‘NAS Medical Mission.’

South-South PUNCH gathered that the medical outreach, a prelude to the NAS 2024/25 Quarter 1 Pyrates Working Committee meeting, held in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, was part of NAS’s quarterly programme, “aimed at addressing the medical needs of underserved communities and advocate for improved healthcare access.”

Records at the event held at the Egini Primary Healthcare Centre on Monday, details of which were made available to journalists, showed that no fewer than 500 patients with different health challenges were attended to and given medications at the outreach during which the medical team also referred some patients to the Central Hospital in Warri for follow-up treatment.

The President-General of Egini community, Dolor Patrick, while expressing the gratitude of the community to the medical mission, on behalf of the beneficiaries, posited that the residents of Egini were grateful for the medical outreach which, he affirmed, saved them transportation costs and provided quality care at their doorstep.

He said, “To access care at the General Hospital costs around N600 just in transport. NAS’s presence here saves us that expense.” On his part, the Chairman of Udu Local Government Area, Vincent Oyibode, commended NAS for its intervention, underscoring its value to the community.

The council boss said, “The Seadogs have provided free healthcare to Egini and extended services to the larger Udu community. This gesture is commendable and supports our local health facilities, which often struggle with resources.”

Oyibode urged residents to utilize the programme and expressed gratitude for NAS’s support.

In her testimony, one of the beneficiaries, Mama Joy Onogharefe, a resident treated for typhoid and malaria, expressed her gratitude to the medical mission, saying, “The treatment was free, thanks to NAS.

“I was previously asked to pay N25,000 elsewhere, but today, I got it all here without charge.”

Another beneficiary, Ejim Chiadikobi, who travelled from Port Harcourt for the outreach, said he “came for an eye check-up and received treatment. Today I can attest to its (outreach’s ) impact.”

NAS First Mate and Chief Administrative Officer, Dr Kenechukwu Eneli, a United States of America-based medical practitioner who led the outreach, emphasised the organization’s “commitment to impacting lives at every stop.”

He said, “Today, we are here in Egini to bring healthcare directly to the people because our organization exists to assist those in need and amplify voices that may otherwise go unheard.”

Eneli explained that “the outreach offered free diagnosis, treatment, and referrals, targeting conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and malaria.”

Also, NAS’s Second Mate and Chief Programmes Officer, Chief Bart Akelemor, a UK-based healthcare professional, highlighted the broader mission behind the medical outreach, stating, “Our medical mission began in 2010 to provide healthcare support to rural communities lacking access to medical facilities.

“Many people avoid hospitals due to high treatment costs and instead seek care from local chemists or native healers.

“By coming here, we are offering direct medical care and sending a message to the government. When we witness health facility deficiencies, like the lack of doctors, we bring it to the authorities’ attention.”

In his comment, the NAS Medical Pyrates leader of the medical team, Dr Odoemena Chiazor, noted that severe cases were referred to Warri’s Central Hospital.

He explained that the mission “is focused on consultation, treatment and necessary referrals. We already arranged with Central Hospital, Warri, to handle follow-ups for referred patients.”

Chiazor disclosed that NAS plans to continue to expand its outreach efforts across Nigeria, ensuring rural communities receive quality healthcare and advocacy support.

He however called on the government to strengthen primary healthcare facilities saying, “Health management starts at the grassroots.

“We need more doctors and nurses here in Egini and across Udu Local Government Area to handle primary health cases effectively.”