22 November 2019
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| Owan-Enoh in Ikom, Nigeria during the 2019 edition of the International Day for Diabetes |
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in the 2019 general elections in Cross River state has given insight into what inspired him to set up a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) to address Diabetes NEGROIDHAVEN can say.
The former lawmaker John Owan-Enoh constituted the JOE Foundation for Diabetes by reason of an inspiration from his ailing sibling who suffered from the said ailment as well.
Mrs Eunice Manyo Neji the Programs Officer for JOE Foundation for Diabetes disclosed this last week end during the celebration of the 2019 edition of World Diabetes Day. According to her, ‘The foundation was lunched on Senator Owan’s 50th birthday celebration. He lunched it when he saw how much money his brother spends because of this disease and he thought how much more the ones who do not have enough to spend.
Continuing Neji observed that ‘The foundation has established health clubs across the six LGAs that constitute Cross River Central Senatorial District , visited schools to make sure these clubs are running (catch them young initiative) so that kids can also help fight this disease.
‘We have signed MOU with hospitals and PHCs where people go to test for sugar for free then come to us for counseling etc. Recently in June, marking his 53rd birthday we gave 66 people 20k each to aid their drugs. We also went as far as visiting IDP camp in Ogaja last year, provided food and did free diabetes test for them, the ones who needed help we provided drugs and counsel the ones we could. The visit to idp camp was in Ogoja.’
In this years World Diabetes Day, Sen. Owan-Enoh led thousands of Cross River Central Senatorial on a walk to create awareness on the dangers of the disease: ‘Our walk is symbolic; one of the things we need in our lives is exercise, hence we have designed this walk as a way to walk out Diabetes. As a person, I am fulfilled that the reason for this awareness campaign through the John Owan-Enoh Diabetes Foundation is purely for humanity’, Owan-Enoh told newsmen in Ikom.
The walk was followed with a lecture on the disease presented by Hon. Dr. Egbe Ayuk the programs director for USAID.
The event was attended by dignatries especially Mrs Rachel Owan-Enoh wife to the former Senator, women and youth groups led by members of Cross River State Diabetes Association amongst many others.
The foundation have as her board chairman Dr. Patrick Iwara who is a member of PDP making clear that the foundation is apolitical basically concerned with service to humanity.
World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign focusing on diabetes mellitus and is held on 14 November each year. The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day 2019 is Family and Diabetes.
