With the aim of restoring sight and hope to people affected by blindness, wife of Delta state governor and founder of 05 Initiative, Dame Edith Okowa, in collaboration with the Restore Sight Africa Initiative and the state ministry of health, has flagged off 2022 grassroots medical outreach in Warri and Bomadi federal constituencies.
Declaring the 2022 grassroots medical outreach open at the central hospital in Warri, for Warri federal constituency, comprising Warri South, Warri North and Warri South/West local government areas, Dame Okowa said in addition to the 05 Initiative mandate of caring for the sick and ensuring easy access to healthcare services by the rural dwellers, the programme has become a yearly exercise towards transforming lives and winning souls for God.
She reminded the beneficiaries of the grassroots medical outreach that life was meaningless without Jesus Christ and encouraged all to genuinely surrender their lives to God.
The Director General of the 05 Initiative, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, said the present administration would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Deltans felt the impact of good governance in the state.
The Coordinator of Restore Sight Africa Initiative, Dr. Ernest Ogbedo, the state commissioner for health, Dr. Mordi Onoye, represented by Dr. Ejiro Ogheneaga, commended the effort of the 05 Initiative for its consistency in ensuring the success of the programme yearly.
The O5 Initiative and Restore Sight Africa teams performed 208 surgeries, including 124 Cataract and 84 Pterygium cases after screening and test, while over 1000 prescription glasses were dispensed and about 600 persons administered with eye drops in Warri federal constituency.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to Dame Edith Okowa for the free eye surgeries.
In spite of their seemingly challenging terrain, the visually impaired in Bomadi federal constituency, have also benefited from the just concluded five days free eye care grassroots medical outreach of the wife of the state governor, Dame Edith Okowa.
Addressing the people, Dame Okowa said she was inspired by God to embark on the free medical outreach, towards touching lives positively, without any self-interest or political agenda.
While encouraging the people to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the outreach to rectify their health challenges, the governor’s wife reminded all that life was a seed and whatever a man sows, he would reap.
About 600 riverine dwellers in the Bomadi federal constituency benefitted from the free eye care medical outreach within the five days, 136 surgeries performed, 485 glasses were dispensed while 212 eye drops were administered.
Dame Okowa also inaugurated a new sickle cell clinic in the community, bringing to nineteen, the number of sickle cell clinics in the state.
She commended the chairman of the local government, God knows Angele, for supporting the 05 Initiative in its mandate to change lives, one person at a time and urged the residents to take ownership of the facility and ensure its maintenance.
An octogenarian, Mr. Nelson Iyakonbo who got his sight back after undergoing eye surgery during last year’s medical outreach commended the 05 initiative for it’s good works, and prayed for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to finish strong.
Other beneficiaries also expressed gratitude to the Governor’s wife, as their eyes were operated on at no cost.
A total of 637 persons were attended to in the Bomadi federal constituency free medical outreach.
