MEDICAL OUTREACH: Mfon Ekpa Foundation, Pro-Health International Targets 300 for Surgery
Oru Leonard
The Mfon Ekpa Foundation (MEF), in conjunction with Pro-Health International on Monday flagged off a weeklong medical outreach Programme targeting to carry out 300 surgical treatments for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Wasa village, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Iko Ibanga. Lead Consultant to Pro-Health International, described the event as a celebration of the life of late Mfon Ekpa, adding that the weeklong activities are part of programmes to launch the Mfon Ekpa Foundation, in honour of Mfon Ekpa, the late son of the Dr. Anthonia Ekpa, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.
According to Dr. Ibanga, apart from the medical outreach, the programme also witnessed the giving out to IDPs items such as foods, clothings and drugs to the poor and needy in the community.
“This is a celebration of the life of a young man that had so much potentials, that impacted what we are doing for health. He helped us design many things. So today being his first birthday in heaven we thought we should celebrate it in a way of reaching out to people, and giving them life. So Mfon Ekpa Foundation (MEF) has been set up to give life. And that’s what we’re doing though healthcare, through nutrition, food distribution, clothes distribution, just everything that would uplift people that the essence we set up Mfon Ekpa Foundation.
“The ones that need surgery we are taking them to three hospitals in the town. So this is one third of what going on. The target is that within this week we are going to do 300 surgeries, ranging from eye surgeries, general surgeries, gaenocological surgeries and dental surgeries” he added.
Giving insights into the Programme, Mrs. Anthonia Akpabio Ekpa, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, disclosed that activities are part of programmes to launch Mfon Ekpa Foundation (MEF), in honour of her son who died two months ago.
According to Mrs. Ekpa, the programme coincided with the late Mfon Ekpa’s birthday, stressing that the programme is designed to give back to God through poor and the needy, a gesture her late son would have loved to do.
“My son left for heaven about two months ago and today is his birthday. I know personally he had big thoughts for today and one of those thoughts was to give back to God through the poor and the needy. So what we are actually doing is, we are capturing his thoughts, and we know he is in heaven and seeing us. Today is his first birthday in heaven, and we want to continue to remember this day while here on earth, and to do all that we think he would have been happy do. So this for us is just the first begining, Mfon Ekpa Foundation (MEF), we want to continue that and we are blessed to have family in Pro-Health which Mfon was so much involved. So Pro-Health International is a Chanel through which we are reaching out and I am happy”.
Geoffrey Bitrus, the Chairman of the camp, while thanking the foundation, said the medications, foods items, and clothings are totally free of charge.
“I want to say thank you to all the visitors that came today to my camp, especially the Pro-Health International, they came to help my people and it is free of charge. Both the drugs, the treatment, even the surgery are free, and we thank God for that” he said
John Samela, the Secretary of the Wasa IDP Camp, noted that the people in the camp are overwhelmed with joy because of the gesture.
According Samela, a total number 5128 persons currently live in the camp with numerous pressing needs, including medications and clothing and foods hence the outreach brought tremendous happiness in the camp.
“We are happy because for a long time we have not had such visitors. We are grateful because the doctors came at the time most of our children are not feeling fine. You can see them testing and treating our people of various ailments” he said.
