OIUSA Rural Community Medical-Surgical Mission

Ogbakor Ikwerre USA & Canada Inc. (OIUSA/Canada) completed a successful medical/surgical mission from October 9th to 13th, 2023, in the Emuoha Local Government Council Headquarters, Emohua, Rivers State, Nigeria.

In collaboration with various health-providing teams, Ogbakor Ikwerre USA & Canada Inc. treated 5,802 individual patients in five days. These included 718 children and 1,246 adult eye patients. It distributed 492 eyeglasses, eye surgeries, 37 cataracts, and 13 pterygia. We attended to 59 dental patients, and 57 general surgery. We treated different ailments, including diabetes, arthritis, malaria, typhoid fever, high blood pressure, and various bacterial infections. The five-day program recorded 3,824 malaria and typhoid visits 2,673 cases with uncontrolled hypertension; 105 cases of obesity, 9 congestive heart failure, 72 palpitations; 2,091 with type 1 and 2 diabetes; 2914 asthma cases; 502 pneumonia, 35 arthritis, 1,067 ulcers, and 1704 fibroid cases. These figures included several follow-up visits for some of the patients.

The residents of the Emohua Local government area were overwhelmed with gratitude that their sons and daughters in the diaspora came to provide them with free health care despite the present economic realities. Their weeklong benefits included free general surgeries, eye treatments, cervical cancer screening, breast examination, general consultancy, and free drugs.

Some beneficiaries included 66-year-old lady, whose Lipoma growth she had carried for 27 years was removed successfully at no charge. Other beneficiaries included a 19-year-old, with a hernia he developed at age 16 removed, paving the way for him to continue his education with money saved. One C-section baby was delivered.

Speaking of the impact of the medical outreach, the President of Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada, Mr. Patrick Anyawoke, said the Medical and Surgical Mission needed to provide medical care to those who don't have the resources to seek medical help. He reminded us that this is the program's second edition, held biennially. He called on well-meaning individuals to commit to providing health assistance to needy people, pointing out that people's healthcare needs were increasing.

"Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada is very much committed to this so that we can collaborate with our government, we can collaborate with anyone who cares to ensure that we can deliver on the healthcare needs of our people," he concluded.

In addition to the Medical Team from the United States and Canada, the local medical team consisted of 12 Physicians drawn from government and private sectors. The beneficiaries of the medical outreach were people who could afford treatment in private or government hospitals for their medical care due to costly potential surgical operations.

Demographically, the female patients were twice as many as the men, 67% versus 33%. Of the women, 56% were adults, while almost 70% of the men were adults. About half of the patients were older than 40, while 32% were under eighteen.

The local Medical Team Coordinator added that "the initiative of Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada (OIUSA/Canada) to sponsor a 5-day free Medical, Surgical, Dental, and ophthalmic outreach in Ikwerre land and Rivers State, Nigeria, is indeed commendable."

The focus of the 2023 OIUSA/Canada Medical/Surgical Mission was Women's Health. The team and volunteers wore pink during 5-days of the medical mission in honor of those who have died of breast cancer and additionally to create awareness and the need to talk about it without embarrassment.

We were focused on screening because black women have the highest mortality rate due to late diagnosis. Most black women are diagnosed with breast cancer at stage four, a very late stage. That is why the team emphasized on teaching women about breast health and self-breast examinations. We hope that such initiative will encourage women to become more familiar with their breasts and be able to identify any abnormalities early on.  The team offered clinical breast exam, ultrasounds and mammograms, and also offered Cervical Cancer Screening, VIA, thermal ablation, and Pap smear.

The Medical Mission Team Host, the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area and program host, expressed his delight at the arrival of the OIUSA/Canada team from the diaspora. He commended their efforts in conducting this year's outreach program, which he described as massive compared to previous years. "The team is not just checking BP, sugar levels, or treating malaria, but also conducting difficult surgeries, screening for breast and cervical cancer, conducting eye tests, recommending glasses to boost sight, and providing free and expensive routine drugs." He expressed his support for the team and said they have attended to their people satisfactorily.

At the pharmacy, patients with chronic diseases, for example, diabetes and hypertension, received medications from the mission's pharmacy. Every patient the mission saw received over-the-counter medicines, including analgesics and vitamin supplements. The people who showed up for registration received vital sign screening, diabetes and hypertension counseling, and assorted over-the-counter medications, including vitamin supplements, cough and cold remedies, and analgesics.

I am grateful to the Almighty God for making our program a success. I want to extend a big thank you to all of our donors. Without your unwavering support, we would not have been able to extend a helping hand to 5,802 individuals suffering from various ailments during the OIUSA-Canada 5-Day Free Medical and Surgical Mission, which took place from October 9th to 13th, 2023. Your contributions have helped all the beneficiaries find hope and renewed health. Today, the star patient, who had a Lipoma growth that she carried for 27 years removed at no cost, is thriving in many ways she never thought possible, all because of you.

Thank you!