Group celebrates clerics birthday with Free medical outreach, surgeries
“Survival Christ Holy Spirit Church observes weekly physical exercise to maintain health, others should follow suit down to their Communities and homes.
By Chidimma Okoye
Survival Christ Holy Church Ifite- Ogbunike has organized a free medical outreach programme to honour its founder, Reverend John-Ukwu Obi on his 66th birthday.
The founder of Survival Christ Holy Church, Rev. John-Ukwu Obi in his remarks expressed gratitude to God for the gift of life bestowed on him and to the Church for living up to expectation in the service to humanity.
He enjoined people to quit self medication, eat right with more of vegetables, fruits and also inculcate body exercise into their daily routine to keep fit and to be healthy.
Rev. Obi commended the free medical outreach initiative saying that it is essential to improve human lives.
“Prevention is cheaper and better than cure.
“Survival Christ Holy Church observes weekly physical exercise to maintain health, others should follow suit down to their Communities and homes.
“Never assume you are healthy until you are routinely certified by health professionals,” he said.
The lead Doctor of the medical team, Dr. Chukwuemeka Mbeledogu said that high blood pressure and eye related sicknesses are prevalent in adults while malaria and helminthic infections are prevalent in children.
He said that High blood pressure is a common sickness in Africa, he therefore called on everyone to always do routine health checks of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and others, to know their health status for professional follow up.
He advised pregnant women the avail themselves the opportunity of the free medical services made possible by the State. Government at Primary Healthcare Centres in every community and in Government Hospitals for safe delivery of the mother and children.
According to Dr. Mbeledogu, no fewer than 100 patients have been attended to, including those for free surgery which have been booked for later dates to ensure proper preparation process.
“Major sickness can liquidate you and lead to financial, mental and psychological poverty.
“Register for Health Insurance, ASHIA, NHIS to ensure adequate health care at all times,” he said.
Dr. Judith Ibewuike, an Optometrist that was among the medical team for the outreach lamented the high rate of Cataract and Glaucoma cases among patients, stating that eye is a vital organ that serves as the window to the whole body, which would stagnate the activities of every other parts of the body if it is shut down.
She, however, advised people to prioritize professional routine checks for the wellbeing of their eyes.
One of the patients, Mrs. Gloria Okaro from Ogidi thanked the organizers for the free care, medications and glasses given to her
Another beneficiary, Mr. Edozie Aneme from Ogbunike said he had difficulty seeing far coupled with waist and leg pains.
He commended the exercise and urged other Churches and communities to emulate the kind gesture so as to reduce the need of the people around them.
