By Chibuzor Ogode
The Director General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Hon. Patrick Ukah, on Thursday, 20th June 2025, flagged off a one-day free medical outreach for residents of Okpanam community, acting on behalf of the Ugo-Ani of Okpanam, HRM Dr. Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu JP.
The outreach, held at Ukah’s country home in Okpanam, was conducted in partnership with the Okpanam Community Development Union (OCDU) Worldwide.
It offered a range of free medical services, including diagnosis and treatment of general health issues, dental and eye examinations, distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and educational sessions on prostate and diabetes prevention and control.
Speaking at the event, Ukah said the initiative was a strategic health intervention designed to help constituents understand their health status and access timely medical treatment, especially for undiagnosed conditions.
“This outreach is aimed at bringing healthcare services directly to the grassroots, so the people can enjoy the benefits of democracy,” Ukah stated, adding that the programme was open to both the young and elderly in the community.
He emphasized that the outreach reflects his commitment to improving life expectancy and delivering the dividends of democracy to all, regardless of social status.
Chairman of the medical outreach committee, Mr. Charles Udo Okolo, lauded the efforts of OCDU, noting that the initiative provides much-needed relief to residents who often struggle with out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
“We have specialists on ground to attend to various health conditions. This is a timely and commendable intervention, especially when many can no longer afford to visit hospitals,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Akeyemi Romanus, expressed gratitude to OCDU, revealing that the outreach helped him discover an underlying health issue, which is now being addressed.
The medical outreach is widely seen as a proactive effort to promote community health and deepen trust between leadership and the people.