Anambra Guber Poll: 520 Benefit, 5 Injure in Ex-lawmaker’s Free Medicare

By Praise Chinecherm

At least five patients, including three women and two men reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury during 3-day free medical treatment to residents of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The victims were part of the medical outreach organized by Dr. Emeka Anaebonam, former member of Anambra State House of Assembly who represented Onitsha South 1.

Confirming the incident, Anaebonam attributed the incident to sudden surge by the crowd struggling to ensure they benefitted on the last day of the exercise.

He said, “From the report of the medical team that conducted the event, the injury sustained by the five patients was due to sudden surge by the crowd who wanted to ensure they benefitted on the last day.

“They wanted to beat up time on the last day as the exercise would close by 4pm, so there was that mad rush.

“You know our people, the first day there was no rush, second day there was little rush and third day it was mad rush, there was intimidating crowd of patients.

“Each one wanted to be treated before end of time, 4pm. However their injuries were not serious, mere bruises, and they were treated immediately,” he revealed further.

Anaebonam revealed that a total number of 520 patients benefitted from the exercise.

On why he embarked on the exercise, the former lawmaker said, “I normally do it for the indigent residents of Onitsha South local Government area but this very one is in support of Governor Chukwuma Soludo over his numerous achievements in the state.

“This is a free special medical treatment in the sense that I have been organizing such occasionally but I decided to run this in appreciation of Governor Chukwuma Soludo for what he has been able to do in Fegge and Odoakpu, Onitsha South local Government area and by extension the entire state.

“He has done just in three years, 16 roads in Onitsha South that other past governors could not do during their stay. So it is also in appreciation of the Specialist hospital he opened in Fegge.

“The Governor has also promised tripling his efforts in what he is doing and I call on everybody to ensure that he votes for APGA come 8 November gubernatorial election.

“I feel satisfied treating the poor, I do the free medicare from time to time to help the poor who could not be able to afford hospital bills. I do it for God and humanity, it is 100 per cent free of charge. When I was a lawmaker I fumigated the entire Onitsha South area against mosquitoes and they nicknamed me “Dr Ogwu Anwu.”

“This project is capital intensive but I have to do it because a lot of people die out of poverty. It is organized to run for three days, Wednesday to Friday, for residents of Onitsha South but you can see that people from outside Onitsha South Local Government area are here and you can’t stop treating them as we don’t ask for identity, they are human beings.

Asked on diseases mostly recorded and treated he said, “We have cases of prostate, malaria, hypertension, diabetic patients, hypotension, fibroid, arteritis, etc and we administer drugs and did dispensary. We give them date to come for checkups,” he disclosed.

Some of the patients interviewed lauded Anaebonam for his assistance to the poor and prayed God to give him longevity and replenish what he spent in the medical exercise adding that the former lawmaker is used to embarking on such project.

According to a 72 year old man, Anazodo Ferdinand, “God will keep him for us, I am the chairman of zone 5, Fegge, he is used to this free medical treatment. When he was a lawmaker he fumigated Onitsha South Local government area and since then we nicknamed him “Dr Ogwu Anwu, he doesn’t collect money.”

Also another patient, Mrs Chioma Ekweagba, revealed that, ” I was just passing and saw canopies, crowd and concluded that Dr. Ogwu Anwu is at it again because he is used to it. My prayer is that he will not lack. I wonder why such good people don’t contest for elective position.

“He was a former Onitsha South local government area chairman and former member of Anambra State House of Assembly. It has been long and we expect him to come out now, I am surprise he is not contesting for anything,” she lamented.

In his own contribution, Mr. Okechukwu Damian, revealed that Dr. Anaebonam is God-sent to curtail the poor health condition of the downtrodden hinting that he shared the flyers meant for the free medical outreach to ensure the poor not only in Fegge, but Okpoko, Odoakpu and other places came.

“I invited my relations from Uga town and they slept in my house at Fegge to ensure they benefit from the free medicare. Dr Anaebonam is used to helping the poor, when he was in the House of Assembly he fumigated his constituency against mosquitoe bites and the residents started calling him “Dr Ogwu Anwu”.

“You can see there is large crowd of patients this last day and some got injured trying to get treated before the end of time, 4pm. It was a three day free treatment and the rush is because it will end today. Free treatment with free biscuits, snacks, water, drugs, etc. People think he is doing to contest election but Dr. said he does it in support of Government. Soludo’s second tenure bid,” he disclosed further.