By Ebele Egoh
No fewer than 1,000 traders benefited from a five-day free medical outreach organised by the Caretaker Chairman of Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwuleta, and his executive.
The outreach, which ran from July 13 to July 17, recorded a steady increase in participation as traders accessed free medical consultations, laboratory tests, eye examinations and medications.
Many beneficiaries described the initiative as timely and life changing, saying it enabled them to receive healthcare services they might otherwise have been unable to afford.
Speaking on the exercise, the Assistant Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Mr. Benjamin Akudo, expressed satisfaction with the turnout, noting that the increasing number of participants highlighted the need for accessible healthcare services in the market.
"We started on Monday, and the number kept increasing every day. It shows that traders truly need this kind of healthcare support. Everyone who came was attended to, and no one was turned away," he said.
Akudo recalled the case of a trader who arrived at the outreach in poor health but recovered significantly after receiving medical attention and prescribed medication.
He added that various health screenings were conducted and essential drugs distributed free of charge throughout the exercise.
Some beneficiaries commended the organisers for prioritising the welfare of traders.
Mr. Tochukwu Obiagwu praised the caretaker chairman for initiating the programme, describing him as a leader committed to improving the wellbeing of traders.
"I have traded in this market for years and have never witnessed this level of care and concern until the current chairman assumed office," he said.
Another trader, Mrs. Doris Achonike, said she deliberately made time to benefit from the outreach after missing the previous edition.
"I missed the last outreach, but this time I made sure I attended. May God bless the chairman for remembering our health," she said.
Also speaking, Mr. Collins Amadi described the initiative as commendable, expressing optimism that regular medical outreaches would help promote early detection of illnesses and reduce preventable health complications among traders.
"I checked my blood pressure, was screened for malaria, consulted a doctor, had my eyes examined and received medications all free of charge. This is a wonderful initiative," he said.
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