The We Care Mission International, a U.S based organisation, has provided free eye surgery to 55 indigenes of Ugbegun Community, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo. Speaking at the 2017 free medical mission at Ugbegun community, the Head of the group, We Care Mission, Mrs Fatima Yakubu, said the organisation spent over N5.5m on the exercise. She said that the desire of the group was to assist indigent people, who deserve good life but are unable to do so because of their inability to pay medical bills and poverty. Yakubu said that each of the surgery cost the organisation N100, 000. She said that her support came from family, friends and her church in America, noting that the organisation was not supported by any national or international government. Yakubu urged local leaders and organisations to partner with the We Care in the area of accommodation and transportation for those intending to receive the free medical care.
She stressed the need to help take the people out of abject poverty and prevent them from dying with preventable ailments. She also noted that another objective of the mission was to educate the people about hypertension and diabetics, which most of them blamed on the handiwork of witches and wizards.. The U.S. based pharmacologist said, “We have been incorporated since 2008 and every single year we have been in Nigeria to conduct free annual medical solutions. “From the medicine, the surgery, the eye glasses we gave to people treated everything is free. “I will like local leaders, local organisations, and local government to partner with us to ensure that we are able to reach more people. “On every single mission that we conduct, nothing less than 2000 patients that we receive and an average of four prescriptions per patient and that is multiply money. “All we are requiring the local leaders to help us with is to provide accommodation to those who are coming from other cities. “Everything else we can take care of and we are still willing to purchase the medicines and all the supplies that are needed, give honorarium to doctors and surgeons,” she said. Some beneficiaries who spoke during the exercise said blindness had practically rendered them incapacitated for years.
Mr Ibare Isaac while thanking the mission explained that “When I came here, I was totally blind in both eyes but as at now I can see very well. I have been blind for four years. “The operation that they did helped me a lot and they even gave me drugs. So I thank the organisers of this free care.’’ Also, Oamen Aluevbose, who could not hide his joy, said he was retired as a staff of the Plateau State Government because he could no longer see. “It was very tough but today I was diagnosed and was operated. Now my eye is now like a coloured television. I never thought I could see with my eyes again. “Now, I am very alright, we are grateful to We Care, who brought this initiative,” he said.
