No fewer than 1500 residents of Nko Community in Yakuurr Local government area of Cross River state have benefitted from the free medicare services carried out by National Association of Seadogs ,NAS Red Barracuda Deck.
The free medicare services provided by Red Barracuda Deck of NAS, as part of activities marking the association’s 70th anniversary includes Health Education , Community HIV counselling and testing , Diabetics check, Deworming of children from 0-5 years, supplementation of pregnant women, Referral services amongst others.
Speaking during the exercise , Emmanuel Ibor, Capoon, Red Barracuda Deck explained that apart from the Medicare outreach, in keeping with the core mandate of NAS, Red Barracuda Zone, recently renovated and handed over the Akarefor Primary Health Centre in Ekureku, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
His words :”The deplorable state of the PHC at that time implied that the people of Ekureku, especially pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable persons had no immediate access to primary health care services. It was, therefore, our desire to renovate the PHC for the well-being of the people of Ekureku.
“Additionally, since the founding of the Red Barracuda branch of the Pyrates Confraternity, we have partnered with the national body of the organisation, and together, we have executed several projects, including medical outreaches, good governance advocacy “Our votes count”, scholarship programs, emergency relief response service in disaster situations among others.
“As Red Barracuda Deck, there is a lot yet to be done for humanity within our area of operations. As dedicated Pyrates, we remain conscious of this vital obligation, Ibor said.
Speaking further , he maintained that service to humanity which was part of their core mandate as a non profit organization was well thought out to meet the SDG III which centred on healthy living.
“We thought it important to bring medicare closer to the people especially those resident in Nko because we feel their pain and the challenges of this present dispensation, we know the healthcare is very expensive .
“A lot of people living within the rural communities are poor not had any test for years some decades, so after our consultation we decided to bring in medical practionter’s pharmacist’s amongst others to do Hiv testing and counselling, deworming of children, supplementation of pregnant women and so on.
“Apart from that issues that can be handled we do that by giving them drugs while the people who need to visit tertiary health facilities were refered to such facilities and all our services are absolutely free,” he said.
Also speaking , the Obol Lopon of Nko, Obol Effifiom Ayomobi thanked the organisers for coming to Nko for the free medical services to mark the NAS @ 70.
Obol Ayomobi said the free medical outreach has brought succour to his people who may not have the time or money to go to heath facilities while thanking NAS for choosing Nko community.
The officer in charged of the Health facility Mr. Osong Mbang Uket. In his remarks lauded the National Association of Seadogs for what they have done especially the handing over of the drugs to the facility to continue the service provision.
On her part , the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) coordinator for Yakurr LGA, Maria Ofem commended the NAS, for their unending support to mark their 70 years of humanitarian services to the people of Yakurr and its environs which she described as no mean feat.
EDITORIAL
This story amongst others are reviewed on Sparkling 92.3FM http://mixlr.com/sparkling923fm–2 and FAD 93.1FM. Again, opinions expressed on NegroidHaven are exclusively the author’s not NH’s.
