By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The 2 Brigade Nigerian Army (NA) has organised free medical treatment to 1,000 persons in Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
The medical outreach was conducted at both Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikot Ekpor in Etim Ekpo LGA, and Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikot Akpa Nkuk in Ukanafun LGA respectively on Tuesday.
Speaking during the exercise, the Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Abubakar Wase said that the gesture became necessary to strengthen the relationship with the host community.
“The purpose of this outreach is to enhance our relationship with our host community and whatever we can do to assist the host community we will do.
“This is in line with the decision of the Chief of Army Staff, and subsequently before the end of the year, we will do this again,” Wase said.
Wase added that the outreach was an extension of activities to mark the Army Day Celebration usually carried out on the July 6, of every year to remember the fallen heroes who served the country in both World war and the Civil war.
The commander said that the medical treatment would help to reduce the medical challenges facing residents of the communities.
In her remarks, the Director, Primary Health Centre, Ikot Akpa Nkuk in Ukanafun LGA, Mrs. Comfort Idiong, thanked the 2 Brigade Nigerian Army for their humanitarian services to the host Communities.
Idiong said that the free treatment would reduce the burdens of expenditure on health needs, promotes access to the health facility, and also enhance the reduction in morbidity rate in adult and children in the communities.
One of beneficiaries from Ukanafun LGA, Mr Lazurus Akpan, also commended the army for the free medical treatment, particularly to the aged persons in the rural community.
Akpan said that the free medical treatment has taken away the financial burden from him as he was treated of malaria and was also given hypertensive drugs.
He added that the free medical treatment would go a long way to enhance the life of the people in the community, especially the aged ones.
Another beneficiary from Etim Ekpo LGA, Mrs Naomi Thomas, thanked the army for the kind gesture rendered to the community, urging the army to make the exercise a regular one.
