In furtherance of its relentless drive towards assisting the needy at the grassroots, the Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation recently carried out a ‘5-Day Free Medical Check Up and Eye Surgery’ programme in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, with over 2,000 people from many communities in the state and its environs benefitting from the programme.

The latest medical intervention programme, powered by Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, came on the heels of similar programmes including the N500,000 funding support each of 30 women entrepreneurs, support of free medical financing for 200 sickle cell patients, and lately funding support for scores of students to enhance their technical skills on jobs, organized by the Foundation in the past three years.

In a speech during the rounding off ceremony of the ‘5-Day Free Medical Check Up and Eye Surgery’ founder of the EMT Foundation, Dr. (Mrs.) Esther Matthew Tonlagha said the programme was organized to further support those with health challenges without access to medication due to high costs and other constraints.

According to her, the Foundation decided to create the opportunity to the thousands of beneficiaries because allowing them to continue to suffer due to the tolling effects on their wellbeing could be lethal for many and incapacitate several others from contributing their quota to the development of the society, despite their intellectual resourcefulness and leadership potential.

She said: “We are so happy that this programme, which aligns with the core mission of our Foundation, has really come as a blessing and hope restorer for the almost 2,000 beneficiaries that registered for it. As we have consistently emphasized, EMT Foundation operational thrusts are focused on three pillars of empowerment, access and sustainability. They are aimed at assisting the socially deprived in our communities at state and national levels and from the interactions I had with the participants here, I am happy that the purpose is achieved.

“Let me say here that to consolidate on the gains of this programme and others that we have organized on health and socioeconomically-related issues in the past, EMT Foundation and others involved in social intervention programmes and projects designed to address social injustice and other ills in our country need stronger collaboration with the governments and development partners.

“So, our appeal to governments at all levels and development partners is for them to collaboratively complement our initiatives targeted at improving primary health care in the rural communities and Nigeria at large through technical and other resources’ supports”, the frontline civil advocate stressed.