It was an absolute pleasure to receive the First Lady of Delta State, Her Excellency Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, in Ika Federal Constituency as the You Matter Charity Foundation brought its free medical outreach to the people of Ika North-East and Ika South Local Government Areas.
The outreach, which forms part of the foundation’s statewide medical intervention, brought free medical services closer to residents of the two local government areas, with particular attention to children with special needs , their care-givers and the elderly.
The initiative attracted beneficiaries from communities across Ika Federal Constituency, who took advantage of the opportunity to access medical consultations, health checks, medications , health information and other forms of medical support.
The visit of the First Lady, who personally led the humanitarian intervention, added significance to an exercise designed to address some of the difficulties faced by vulnerable members of society in accessing quality healthcare.
Beyond the immediate medical services provided, the outreach also offered an opportunity to draw attention to the healthcare needs of people who often require more specialised attention and sustained support. For children with special needs and their care-givers, as well as elderly residents, access to appropriate healthcare can present challenges that go beyond the ability to pay for treatment.
The intervention therefore brought together medical care, health awareness and humanitarian support in a setting that allowed beneficiaries to receive attention closer to their communities.
Receiving the First Lady, the Chairman of Ika South Local Government, Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior, expressed appreciation for the intervention and commended the initiative behind the You Matter Charity Foundation.
Ehiwarior described the outreach as a compassionate intervention that would have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of residents, particularly those who require additional care and support.
The Ika South Chairman said the programme was consistent with the concern of his administration for the welfare of residents, adding that interventions which bring essential services directly to the people are particularly valuable in the present circumstances.
He also appreciated the First Lady for choosing to extend the programme to Ika Federal Constituency and for placing vulnerable residents at the centre of the initiative.
According to him, the value of the outreach extends beyond the treatment of immediate health concerns. It also provides beneficiaries with information that can help them make better decisions about their health, while creating greater awareness of the particular needs of children with special needs, their care-givers and elderly members of the community.
Ehiwarior further commended the First Lady for her dedication to humanitarian causes and her concern for the wellbeing of Deltans. He expressed the hope that collaborations of this nature between government, humanitarian organisations, local councils and community stakeholders would continue to provide practical solutions to challenges confronting the people.
The Chairman of Ika North-East Local Government Area, Hon. Monday Odigwe, also welcomed the intervention, expressing appreciation to the First Lady and the You Matter Charity Foundation for bringing the medical outreach to residents of the area.
Hon. Odigwe noted the importance of taking healthcare services to the grassroots, particularly for people who may find the cost of medical treatment difficult to bear. He said interventions that bring medical professionals, consultations and medications closer to communities can make a considerable difference to families.
The programme also received the support of His Royal Majesty, Dr. Benjamin Ikenchuku, Keagborekuzi I, Dein of Agbor Kingdom, who welcomed the First Lady and commended the humanitarian character of the initiative.
The monarch’s presence underscored the importance of traditional institutions in supporting programmes directed at improving the welfare of the people. His commendation also reflected the wider appreciation of the intervention among community stakeholders.
For the beneficiaries, the significance of the outreach was more immediate. Residents who might ordinarily have had to bear the full cost of medical consultations and medications were able to receive attention at no cost.
The programme also reinforced the importance of preventive healthcare. Through medical checks and health education, beneficiaries were encouraged to pay closer attention to their health and seek medical attention when necessary rather than waiting until health challenges become severe.
The Ika outreach is part of the statewide medical programme of the You Matter Charity Foundation , which seeks to extend healthcare support to communities across Delta State.
Its presence in Ika North-East and Ika South therefore represents another important intervention at the grassroots , bringing together the state’ s humanitarian effort, local government leadership, traditional institutions and the people in whose interest the programme was conceived.
For Ika Federal Constituency, the visit was not simply about receiving the First Lady. It was about bringing a practical healthcare intervention to the doorstep of the people and giving vulnerable members of the community an opportunity to receive care, information and support.
It was, in the simplest sense, an expression of the message at the heart of the initiative: You Matter.
