The Chairman, Bayesla State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for organizing Free Medical Outreaches across the Niger Delta region.
A press statement signed by NDDC’s Director, Corporate Affiars, Mr. Pius Ughakpoteni on June, 7, 2024 said the monarch who spoke during the NDDC free medical mission at the Diete Koki Memorial Hospital in Yenagoa, stated that the current Board and Management of the Commission had changed the story of the region, following its numerous development projects and programmes.
He declared: “The present board of NDDC has carved a niche for itself as a result of its strategic and innovative projects. The impact is very huge and felt by everyone, not only in Bayelsa State, but the entire Niger Delta region”
The royal father described the free medical outreach organised by the NDDC as a life-saving programme that should be carried out regularly.
He said further: ” I want to appeal to the management of NDDC to ensure a higher frequency of the exercise which is a life-saving project. Everyone that has benefitted from this intervention today will ever remain grateful to NDDC as a saving grace because if not for this programme, a lot of deaths would have been recorded “
In his address, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said the medical mission which provides health care services to medically underserved rural communities in the region was one of the several health care programmes of the Commission aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “Health for All, Time for Action” proclamation at the 2023 World Universal Health conference.
Ogbuku, who was represented by the Head of Administration and Human Resources, Bayelsa State Office, Mr. Anderson Woyengiauro, noted that since the commencement of the programme, over two million Niger Deltans had benefitted from the scheme.
He added: “The NDDC through the free medical mission has provided health solutions to over two million Niger Deltans across communities in the Region and remains committed to working with relevant stakeholders to improve health and other critical sectors that impact positively on the overall development of the health and wellness of the people of the region.”
In his remarks, the Deputy State Project Coordinator of Derums Global Services, the Medical Consultant of the outreach mission, Dr. Blessing Oboidhe, explained that 69 general surgeries, 18 obstetrics and gynecology, 434 dental procedures, 79 ophthalmology procedures, among other services were provided.
