An aged woman, Mrs Margaret Okere, on Thursday regained her sight after undergoing an examination at the ongoing Nigerian Army medical outreach at Umuokwa Community, Igboh-Etche, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Army is conducting educational and medical outreach programme in host communities where the ‘Exercise Crocodile Smile 2’ is going on.
Okere told newsmen during the programme that she had not been able to see for a long time.
“I regained my sight after the doctors here examined me, gave me eye drop and eyeglass.
“My grandson brought me here when he heard that there will be a military-free medical outreach. I give God the glory, as I can see very well now.
“God bless the Nigerian military for carrying out this exercise,” she said.
Mrs Promise Okechukwu, a native of Umuokwa, said that she and her baby were examined and given the necessary drugs.
“Since I put to bed six months ago, my baby has been vomiting but today she has been taken care of free of charge by the army medical team.
“I thank god and very grateful to the army for bringing this programme to my community,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Samuel Nwankwo said that the army free medical programme was the first ever carried out in the community.
Nwankwo said that he was happy and thanked God for directing the army to come to his community.
“Today, I have gotten the opportunity for my eye to be examined and necessary eye drop given to me.
“I thank the army, they are not what people are saying they are, God bless them,” he said.
Mrs Lilian Nwala, another beneficiary, said that she was at the centre for medical examination.
“They are very friendly, as the medical personnel were attending to us one after the other.
“I’m happy for the drugs they have given me after the examination, and I pray this continue,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Clement Emejuru urged the community to cooperate and get themselves treated.
Emejuru disclosed that he was examined by a dentist and all the drugs he needed had been given to him.
“What the army is doing is very fantastic, they are helping us to be healthy and live longer.
“The army has never carried out shooting in Igbo-Etche before, so this is not a programme to scare us but to keep us alive,” he said.
Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), represented by Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, Chief of Logistics (Army), said that the outreach was a civic responsibility to create smooth relationship with host communities.
Buratai said that the army had always carried out positive activities in any community they were to ensure that the people were comfortable.
“In some places that we are, if they don’t have water, we provide boreholes for them to get water, where there are medical challenges; we provide a solution for them.
“Places where we think the primary or secondary school is lacking educational materials, we also provide for as part of our civic responsibility,” he said.
The COAS said that the rumoured military vaccine was a creation of miscreants that were not comfortable with military’s resolve to fix them.
“The army has the responsibility of protecting the Nigerian people’s interest, so whatever people say to tarnish the Nigerian Army, we will not bulge by that.
“These are mere propaganda by miscreants and disloyal citizens who go about tarnishing the image of the country and the army,” he added.
Dr Samuel Amaechi, the Eze Onyeishi-Agwuru of Igboh-Etche, commended the Nigerian Army for the free medical outreach and called on his subjects to take full advantage of the exercise.
While urging other agencies to emulate the gesture, the traditional ruler also called for the sustenance of the programme.
