Joyce Onwuka
The Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation at the weekend rounded off 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.
Sharing her experience during the programme, particularly the benefits to her, one of the beneficiaries, Chief Victoria Eguene from Gbaramatu Kingdom commended the Foundation for assisting hundreds of people from the communities with free medical treatment.
She said, “We wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to the Foundation for giving us hope with the treatments we have received within these five days of their being here. I want to particularly thank the founder, Dr. Esther Tonlagha, for her humanitarian nature from which many of us are benefitting from now.”
Similarly, another participant an artisan and suffering from high blood pressure, Mr. Jayman Jemi recounted his experience thus: “I have been suffering from high blood pressure for over five years now without relief. However, with the checkup I did here and the support EMT Foundation has promised to give me on this problem, I have very strong hope that my days of joy are just ahead.
“My friends had told me before how the Foundation has been supporting our people in the state. My coming here and experience in this programme clearly proved that mummy Tonlagha is a mother for all, who is giving her all, through the organization, to support the needy everywhere she goes”, he added.
Over the past years, EMT foundation has been fully committed to the pursuit of its three pillars of empowerment, access and sustainability of the poor and needy in the society.
Through its Empowerment initiative, the civil advocacy group ensures that people are equipped with the tools and confidence to lead, while Access ensures that opportunities for the needy are not restricted by circumstance. Similarly, the Foundation’s Sustainability goal ensures that the impact it is creating today will endure for the benefits of many generations in the years ahead.