Charity Begins At Home Medical Outreach has offered free medical services to over 500 residents at Amuzukwu-Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia.
The 19th edition of the annual event was conducted by a group of medical professionals at Assemblies of God Church, Amuzukwu-Ibeku, Umuahia.
The beneficiaries were given different medical services including screening for blood pressure, blood sugar level, eye tests and general body check-up among others.
Free drugs were dispensed to them based on their health conditions, while those whose medical needs could not be immediately provided for were referred to the appropriate hospitals.
Also, eye glasses were given out to those that needed them after thorough examination by the doctors.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to newsmen expressed gratitude to the organisers, while describing the outreach as a topnotch.
One of them, Mr Emeka Offor, an Elder in the church, said he was highly impressed the treatment given to him, even as he prayed that the Almighty God should reward the benefactors bountifully.
“I thought it was a small outreach like we have always witnessed, but I was surprised that after running a general body check-up on me and given some medicines, I was still asked to have my eyes checked.
“My eyes have been examined thoroughly by the doctors in that section and they also gave me eyeglasses with medicines,” he said.
Also, Rev. Samuel Oti, the cleric in charge of the Assemblies of God Church, Amuzukwu-Ibeku, urged other well meaning Nigerians to emulate the benefactors and couple, Rev. Bennett and Dr. Gloria Onwuchekwa.
He thanked them for their show of love towards the people and prayed that God should continue to bless them in abundance.
“Of a truth, it can only take a man who cares for others from his heart to do what Rev. Onwuchekwa and his wife are doing,” Oti said.
Giving reason for the outreach, Dr. Gloria Onwuchekwa said it was to bring healthcare services closer to the community, especially the indigent, at no cost to the people.
She lamented that a lot of people with one underlying ailment or the other were dying in silence because they couldn’t afford the high cost of hospital bills.
“I just give God praise for giving us the privilege to serve Him through this outreach because it’s been a privilege doing that for Him.”
According to her, helping one another must be every believer’s responsibility.
She condemned the unwholesome attitude of the National Food, Drug Administration and Control towards them while arriving the country.
On his part, Rev. Bennett Onwuchekwa said that they came up with the outreach, following their unfortunate discovery of how Nigerians were going to Ethiopia, Kenya, Russia and other countries to run medical missions.
He said that the free medical outreach would not only be provided in his local government, but also in any part of the country.
The cleric expressed gratitude to God for His faithfulness, saying, “one thing in life is to obey God and once you do that, He will provide the means easily.”
Onwuchekwa said that the joy of providing the free medical outreach can never be quantified.
He, therefore, called on all the beneficiaries to look unto God and focus their attention on Him at every point in time.
