Friday August 14, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
By Dennis UDOMA
More than 1,000 residents of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have benefited from free medical services provided under the ongoing health outreach programme of the EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust Fund.
The three – days medical mission for Ukpum Minya Clan, which was flagged off at the Mkpat Enin Local Government headquarters, is part of a broader two-week intensive healthcare intervention designed to take essential medical services to residents across the four clans of the area.
Declaring the exercise open, the Executive Chairman of Mkpat Enin LGA, Engr. Emmanuel Inyang, described the initiative as a welcome development, stressing that his administration places premium on the health and wellbeing of the people.
Inyang said his support for healthcare delivery in the local government remained unwavering, noting that a healthy population was essential to sustainable development.
“I take medical and health services in my Local Government very seriously,” he said, while commending the medical team led by the Medical Consultant to EMOIMEE, Prof. Etete Peters, for collaborating with the Trust Fund to improve healthcare delivery in the area.
The Chairman said the outreach represented one of the practical benefits of the contributions of oil companies operating in the area under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
According to him, the intervention demonstrated the importance of ensuring that host communities benefit directly from the operations of companies within their environment.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the policy framework that enabled oil-producing communities to benefit from the activities of oil companies through the PIA.
The Council boss also commended the EMOIMEE management committee for bringing free healthcare services closer to the people, urging residents to take advantage of the programme by presenting themselves for medical examinations and treatment according to the schedule for their respective clans.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of EMOIMEE Host Community Trust Fund, represented by Chief Ulor Ante, described the free medical outreach as one of the most important programmes being implemented by the organisation.
He said the Trust Fund attached great importance to healthcare because it wanted the people within its host communities to remain healthy and productive.
Chief Ante explained that taking the medical services directly to the communities was aimed at eliminating the challenge of residents travelling long distances to access healthcare.
Also speaking, the management representative, Rev. Obot Ekanem, said the medical outreach was a comprehensive healthcare package designed to promote healthy living and improve the standard of living of residents.
Ekanem noted that the programme was the second free medical outreach organised by the Trust Fund in Mkpat Enin, adding that it was part of several interventions being implemented through the support of oil companies operating in the area, and urged residents to take full advantage of the opportunity by seeking proper medical attention during the period of the exercise.
The Medical Consultant to EMOIMEE, Prof. Etete Peters, commended the Trust Fund for prioritising the health of the people, saying the outreach had created an opportunity to provide medical assistance to residents across the four clans in Mkpat Enin LGA.
Peters, explained that the two-week intervention was structured as a comprehensive medical programme covering health education, paediatrics, surgery, optometry, drug provision and other essential medical services.
He urged residents to take the exercise seriously, cooperate with the medical team and encourage others to benefit from the intervention.
“The medical outreach is being implemented across Ukpum Minya, Ibiaku, Ikpa Ikono and Ikpa Ibom clans”, he said.
As of the third day of the exercise, more than 1,000 patients had reportedly received free medical attention, including surgical procedures, eye care, health enlightenment, drugs and paediatric services among others.
Some beneficiaries, including Mr. Eyo Sunday Umoh and Mrs. Matilda Usen, expressed appreciation to EMOIMEE and the medical team for bringing the intervention closer to the people.
They said the programme had helped to address some of their health challenges and appealed to the Trust Fund to sustain the initiative on a regular basis, particularly because many residents could not afford the rising cost of medical treatment.
“I came here with appendicitis but now it has been operated. I am free because it gave me cause to worry about my health. God bless EMOIMEE and the doctors” , Mr. Umoh said
Goodwill messages were also delivered by the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of EMOIMEE, representatives of the Paramount Ruler, HRM (Obong) Akpan Akpan Ekpene, clan heads and youth leaders, among others.
