Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s people-oriented healthcare initiative has taken essential medical services directly to rural dwellers, as a free geriatric health outreach was conducted in Eha-Alumona, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to inclusive and accessible healthcare delivery.
The outreach, carried out under the banner of the Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Care Initiative (PNM Care Initiative), attracted hundreds of elderly residents who benefited from comprehensive medical consultations, health education, diagnosis and free medication. A team of medical doctors, health professionals and volunteers were on ground to attend to beneficiaries, many of whom would otherwise struggle to access healthcare due to distance, mobility challenges and financial constraints.
Speaking at the flag-off of the programme, the Director-General of the PNM Care Initiative, Hon. Roy Ekwueme, described the outreach as a direct extension of Governor Mbah’s rural health intervention agenda, aimed at ensuring that no segment of the population is left behind in the state’s healthcare reforms. He noted that the initiative was conceived to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the ageing population in rural communities, in line with the Governor’s vision of a functional, people-centred health system.
Ekwueme explained that the outreach provided a wide range of medical services, including Digital Rectal Examination and PSA testing for men, blood pressure monitoring and cardiovascular risk assessment, random and fasting blood glucose testing, urinalysis, rapid hepatitis B screening and vaccination of negative cases, malaria testing and treatment, visual acuity testing, refraction and cataract identification. Beneficiaries also received comprehensive dental examinations with basic treatments such as scaling, fillings and extractions, as well as free reading and medicated glasses. Essential medications, including antihypertensives, antidiabetics, antibiotics, analgesics and antimalarials, were freely dispensed, while complicated cases were referred to partner secondary and tertiary health facilities.
According to him, the outreach is designed to complement Governor Mbah’s ongoing construction of 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the 260 wards of Enugu State, by ensuring immediate healthcare access for rural residents, especially the elderly who may lack the mobility or resources to visit health facilities.
He further stressed that health education formed a critical component of the programme, as participants were sensitised on the causes of common health challenges prevalent in rural communities, healthy lifestyle choices, and the dangers of harmful superstitious beliefs that often delay proper medical care.
Ekwueme disclosed that the Governor’s healthcare initiative would be extended to all rural communities across Enugu State, with plans to visit at least two communities weekly, starting from Eha-Alumona. He described the programme as a reflection of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s transformative leadership, which prioritises grassroots development, trust-building and improved quality of life for the people.
The outreach, which was both interactive and educative, provided an avenue for meaningful engagement between healthcare professionals and rural residents, deepening understanding of local health challenges.
Beneficiaries, in separate interviews, expressed profound gratitude to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for bringing healthcare closer to them through the initiative. They also commended Hon. Roy Ekwueme and the PNM Care Initiative team for their dedication and professionalism in delivering the Governor’s vision of accessible healthcare to the grassroots.
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| Enugu State Governor His Excellency, Barr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah |
