No fewer than one thousand five hundred Anambra residents have benefitted from the on-going free and comprehensive medical care for all programme by Osita Chidoka.

The outreach, which was flagged-off by the former Aviation Minister at Obosi, was targeted at all the 179 communities of the state, beginning with Obosi, covering a wide range of medical conditions including malaria and typhoid tests and treatment, hepatitis/retroviral screening, full medical checks, blood pressure checks and diabetes screening, comprehensive eye checks with cataract and glasses, free drugs, amongst others.

Chidoka, who was on hand to perform the flag-off, said it was part of the ways he is giving back to the society and it gives him joy to put some smiles on people’s faces, especially those who cannot help themselves.

Chidoka, who identified quality education and good healthcare as crucial factors for a productive society, said both the private sector and government must work in a collaborative manner to bring the services to the people.

His words: “We have figured out that two things are critical to the survival of any society; these are education and good health.

“Making it possible for people to have good education will prepare them for the society.

“But if they don’t have good health, we cannot actualise that vision, so my attitude as an individual, is that we should contribute our own little quota, without calling on government all the time.

“Governments have promised health for all, governments have tried to bring healthcare to the people but of course you can see it is not available.

“What I have decided and I have been doing it for years now very quietly is to bring the things we can do for ourselves to the people.

“So, starting from Obosi this time, we will take the medical mission to other parts of the state.

“I am in touch with some Nigerians in Diaspora who have shown interest to come for medical mission on their own with me providing local support.

“We are going to leverage on the network of doctors in Anambra who have volunteered to work with us on this medical mission.

“Government can do a lot, there is nothing like free education or free healthcare, somebody is paying somewhere.

“So what should be done is that in budgeting, government should fund healthcare and education through the private sector and not just building public institutions.”

Chidoka said prime motivation for rendering the services was the memory of his Grandfather, who was an amputee for 68 years but could still train his 12 children because of the medical care he got in his time.

He said most Nigerians were destitute because of their inability to access medical help for treatable ailments.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain restated his commitment to make the mission a regular programme and modify it to address divergent areas of healthcare.

“Part of what is motivating me is that my grandfather was an amputee, he lost one of his legs during the second world war and for 68 years he lived with an artificial leg and the British cared about him that he was getting renewal of the artificial leg every two years.

“If not for the attention he got, he would have been a destitute but he retired as a civil servant after 35 years, rode his bicycle to work, bought motorcycle and car and trained his 12 children which I am one of them.

“That is why I have always supported people who need artificial legs right from when I was in Federal Road Safety Commission.

“It is going to be a continuous exercise in our next mission; we will focus on healthcare from the preventing approach, diet, lifestyle, exercises.

“It is going to be preventive, promotional and prescriptive approach,” he said.

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