By Felix Khanoba
It was a big relief for residents of Garki village on Saturday as the medical outreach long on the minds, hearts and prayer lists of Dmariano pro-fertility foundation took off on a healthy start in the bustling community.
The medical outreach, which was borne out of concerns to meet the immediate health needs of residents of the area as well as couples struggling with fertility issues, witnessed a large turnout of people.
Both men and women, children and youths who trooped out to the Palace of Sa’peyi of Garki, venue of the exercise, were full of praise for Dmariano pro-fertility foundation for providing them with comprehensive health services at no cost.
Expressing delight over Dmariano pro-fertility foundation’s intervention in the health need of his people, the Sa’peyi of Garki, His Royal Highness, Dr Usman Nga-Kupi, said the exercise which ranges from medical tests, treatment, counseling to provision of drugs as well as fertility talk, deserved special commendation.
“We commend the organization for coming into this community. Haven know that health is wealth, they have done well.
” There are many less-privileged people, who cannot access health facilities but will now benefit free from this.,” the visibly elated monarch said.
The monarch, who expressed concerns on the dismal doctor to patients ratio in the country, called on governments at all levels to do more by meeting the welfare needs of healthcare practitioners and put in place good health facilities to address the problem of brain drain.
Speaking on the medical outreach’s initiative, the Spiritual Director of Dmariano Pro-Fertility Foundation, Rev. Fr. Celestine Eze, said the organization, which was primarily put in place by private individuals to assist couples having challenges on bearing children, decided to expand its horizons to meet the health needs of Garki people.
His words : “Dmariano pro-fertility foundation is a foundation primarily targeted at assisting couples faced with infertility issues.
” It is a group of young men and women who gathered and formed this foundation and gave me the privilege to be their spiritual director because when we are talking about infertility we are not just talking about the medical aspect of it but also the spiritual.
“Personally with experience, when you want to tackle a problem you don’t just follow a linear way of tackling it , you must involve everything possible, the medical aspect, the social aspect, the cultural aspect and the religious aspect. To solve a problem a lot of things must be put into perspective.”
Asked on his advice for couples having infertility challenges, the Catholic priest said :”My advice to legally married couples who are facing fertility problem is to first of all seek medical advice and also seek counsel from their religious leaders because with the combination of the spiritual and the medical, it will be a lot easier to tackle infertility issue.
“And to young people who are not yet married, I advise that before going into marriage they should ensure they are well aware of their fertility health.”
On her part, the programme officer of the Foundation, Barr. Uche Wokocha, said the outreach, which is the first in series, provided healthcare opportunities/ treatment to about 300 residents of Garki village.
While expressing the readiness of the foundation to reach out to several communities in the country, Wokocha said the organization is partnering with several professionals across all sectors to meet some of the health needs of the people.
“We are expecting to reach as many people as possible, this particular outreach is on a general nature, attending to various health challenges even though our focus is on fertility, we still try to meet up with people with different health challenges-diabetes, malaria as well as fertility issues.
“This is just our pioneer outing and the intention is to get to every community in Nigeria, we will get to everywhere, we are taking it one at a time, starting with garki village.”
A community women mobiliser and one of the beneficiaries of the medical outreach, Lami Jiwa Garki, who expressed appreciation to the foundation, however, called for more robust intervention in terms of provision of foodstuffs.
” Many people are happy because of this treatment (medical outreach) but some people did not come out because they said they are hungry, that they want food to fight hunger before treatment,” she said.
