The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement in the Southeast region of Nigeria, Barr. Chioma Nweze, at the weekend, flagged off a free medical program for the citizens of the region.
Nweze explained that the medical program involves free cancer screening for six months, free eye tests and free eyeglasses for the first two hundred persons, and free dialysis for one year.
She noted that the free medical program was organized in partnership with David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences Uburu.
Nweze said: "We mark a significant milestone in our quest to improve the health and wellbeing of our people. We recognize that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right, and it is our responsibility to ensure that every individual in the South East has access to it, regardless of their background or financial situation.
The President's senior aide also flagged off four months of a free tailoring training exercise with start-up grants titled "skill-up Southeast East agenda", saying all the communities in the region would benefit from both programs, including free medical exercise and free tailoring empowerment.
She emphasized that the tailoring training is aimed at unveiling the fashion potential in Igbo-land and reiterated the commitment of her office to launch other skill acquisition programs that will make the citizens of the region self-reliant and overcome economic challenges.
Nweze, who spoke during the Flag ceremony held at DUFUTH premises, said: "Our participants will be selected from each of the 97 Local Government Areas in the Southeast, ensuring that every community is represented. We believe that by providing our youths with the necessary skills and resources, we can create a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.
"We are not only empowering our youths through skills acquisition, but we are also providing them with the opportunity to develop business plans and pitch their ideas. This will enable them to become entrepreneurs and job creators, contributing to the economic growth and development of our region.
"As we launch this programme today, we are filled with hope and optimism for the future. We are confident that our participants in the “Skill-Up” South East programme will excel in their chosen fields because they are ambassadors of our region and have name brands that we will patronize.
Nweze, however, vowed to boost the economic growth and development of the south-southeast Skill-Up South East free training and Health treatment programmes are initiatives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is at the heart of Mr President’s Community Engagement effort. As SSA to the President, my team and I have a long-term vision for our region, and we are committed to working tirelessly to achieve it.
"We will continue to invest in our people, to promote economic growth, and to improve healthcare outcomes. We will continue to partner with stakeholders and leaders of the East at all levels to leverage resources and drive change. Our goal is to make the South East a model for sustainable development, a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, and a place where every individual can thrive.
She applauded the president for showing a sense of inclusive governance to South East: "Let me express the indebtedness of the people of South East to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his sense of inclusive governance and for making South East Zone assume a pride of place in the distribution of the Nation’s dividends of democracy, especially the appointment of our people in key national positions and other developmental considerations.
She, however, thanked the minister of works, Dav, id Umah, I, the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru and other prominent stakeholders in the Southeast region for their contributions towards the progress and development of the region.
Earlier in a remark, the Vice Chancellor of DUFUHS, Prof. Jesse Uneke said: "At the DUFUTH cancer centre, a total of 207 cancer patients have so far been treated. Of this number, 88(42.5%) were males, while 119 (57.5%) were females. A total of 107 (51.7%) of the patients were aged between 40 years and 69 years old.
"The commonest cancer was breast cancer 53 (25.6%), prostrate cancer 43 (20.8%)" and commended the SSA on community engagement South East region for organizing free medical programs the people of the region, "A total of 600 people have benefited from the free eye test and free eyeglasses" he stated.
Those in attendance included the Minister of Works David Umahi, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Francis Nwifuru represented by his Deputy, Patricia Obila, former Minister of Health Joseph Ekumankama, the House of the Representative member representing Ohaozara/Ivo/Onicha, Nkemkanma Kama, Roy Nweze SAN, among other prominent Nigerians.
