By CHARLES IWUOHA, Enugu

No fewer than 3,652 residents of Emene Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State have benefited from a free and comprehensive medical outreach organised by the Nigerian Army.

The exercise featured health counseling, how to prepare health diets from locally sourced ingredients, various laboratory tests and checks, dental checks, free drugs, referral service, eye check. Also, 300 pairs of eye glasses were given, free of charge to patients with eye problems.

The free medical outreach also featured distribution of insecticide treated nets to pregnant women and nursing mothers, de-worming of children of school age, and giving of disinfectants and multivitamin to malnourished children, among others; all free of charge.

Flagging-off the exercise on Friday, the General Officer Commanding of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said that the exercise was part of activities meant to strengthen Civil-Military-Cooperation (CIMIC) for the ongoing Exercise Golden Dawn.

Lagbaja said that Exercise Golden Dawn, which was a training exercise of the Nigerian Army, in active collaboration with sister security agencies, was aimed at ridding the society of undesirable elements and criminals.

He explained that the Nigerian Army was also deploying its competences and skills in the medical profession to bring a free and holistic healthcare, even to referral level, to the good people of Emene community.

“I am overwhelmed by the large turn-out of the residents of Emene to access this free healthcare. This shows acceptance and age-long cooperation of the community with the Nigeria Army.

“Exercise Golden Dawn and other exercises ongoing nationwide were designed to enable law-abiding citizens go about their normal businesses, especially as we enter the Ember months.

“From the benefits of hindsight, we know that during the Ember months, criminality is usually on the high side, as well as other threats to security.

“As part of Exercise Golden Dawn, we have scheduled some activities and services through which we will draw from the competences and skills of professionals in the military.

“So, as part of the Exercise Golden Dawn, we have the free and comprehensive medical outreach as being witnessed today in Emene community. The Nigerian Army has brought its medical facilities and personnel to provide services to Emene community free-of-charge.

“We also have educational outreaches in some schools. The medical outreach had also taken place in Cross Rivers and Abia State and it will get to all states under the coverage of the Division,” Lagbaja said.

On the Exercise Golden Dawn, the GOC said that the exercise has been recording huge successes and the various feedback from residents within the Division also point in the direction of its successes.

“From the reports we are getting from the members of various communities under the Division, criminality has been reduced to the barest minimum,’’ he said.

Responding, Igwe Felix Ugwu, Traditional Ruler of Emene Autonomous Community, thanked the Nigerian Army for a “great gesture” of taking over the health burden of the community and providing Emene community with qualitative healthcare, free-of-charge.

“As a people, we are grateful to the Nigerian Army for remember us and providing medicare, eye glasses and even referral services to our people at the 82 Division Hospital, free-of-charge,” Ugwu said.

One of the beneficiaries of the medicare, Mr Chamberlain Izuchukwu, thanked the army for free medical tests and drugs given to him and his family.

Another beneficiary, Mrs Ngozi Chielo, who is a teacher, thanked the army for the free eye check, drops and a pair of glasses given to her.

“I am grateful to the Nigerian Army for providing comprehensive eye care and lifting huge financial expenses from me,” Chielo said.

Prevalent health issues during diagnoses of the residents included malaria, typhoid fever and diarrhea, among others.

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