By IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Activities marking the 7th Coronation anniversary of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has kicked-off in Benin city with a free medical outreach for Edo residents.
The two-Day medical outreach which began on Wednesday through Thursday in the Benin Monarch Palace afforded residents in the state the opportunity to benefit from free medical services courtesy of a socio-cultural organization, Edo National Voice (ENV) in collaboration with Benin Doctors Forum Worldwide.
The initiative is in continuation of Oba Ewuare II humanitarian gesture to improve the health conditions of people, especially those who cannot pay for their healthcare.
The event also featured public health enlightenment, counselling, free glasses, medicine to the beneficiaries, while some selected individuals with life threatening health conditions were slated for surgeries by a team of health personnel.
Some of the organisers, Dr. Ovenseri Osasere Ogbeide and Mr Culture Osaro Iyamu, appreciated the Oba for coming through for vulnerable young and elderly persons in the State.
Iyamu who spoke to newsmen said the project was done in conjunction with the Benin Doctors Forum Worldwide in commemoration of the seventh anniversary of the Oba of Benin Kingdom.
“As a way of adding value and creating impact to the seventh coronation anniversary of the great Oba of Benin, we thought it wise to add another color to the coronation.” Iyamu said .
They appealed to other privileged Nigerians to take the plights of the downtrodden seriously, bond with the people and sustain advocacy for healthy lifestyle at all times, describing the intervention as great relief to Edo residents.
Some of the beneficiaries of the free healthcare, Mr Midwest Ogbebor, Mrs Lucy Egunje, a scion of Oliha family, and Abraham Eboigbe, appreciated the Oba of Benin for showing concern to the health needs of his subjects.