By DADA AYOKHAI
A new Non Governmental Organization, NGO, LEBARTY COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION whose mission is to provide succumb to indigent people so as to have access to a better healthcare service was recently launched amidst funfair at a well attended ceremony in Benin, Edo state capital.
Speaking during the inauguration of the foundation in Benin on Tuesday, the founder, Dr Nosa Aigbe-Lebarty, who is a family medicine specialist, said the foundation would help foot medical bills of poor rural dwellers at the Lebarty Medical Hospital located in Benin where he is also the proprietor.
He said “our goal is to provide affordable healthcare to the needy and also to save one life at a time. We want to ensure that people see us as the change and follow suit”.
He explained that Lebarty Medical Hospital, with support of the foundation, recently organised a free medical outreach for over 2000 rural dwellers at Aruogba community in Edo.
He said that basic medical services, eye checks as well as eye glasses were offered freely to participants at the medical outreach.
“The community dwellers were happy to benefit from the outreach and we plan to do this at least twice in a year”, he said.
Earlier Prof Augustine Orhue, a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, said healthcare should not be left alone to an individual to manage.
“Healthcare is expensive and we ought to have a platform where everyone can have access to health care delivery services”
He commended Dr Aigbe-Lebarty for leaving diaspora to invest in Nigeria’s healthcare system, irrespective of the fact that others were leaving the country.
Chief Sam Igbe, the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, who was also at the event, said the foundation’s initiative was laudable.
Igbe noted that the founder had a good heart in taking healthcare closer and affordable to his people.
Also, former Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Hon Elizabeth Ativie, said rural people formed the critical mass of the state’s healthcare burden.
She regretted that most rural people still did not have access to basic healthcare, saying that investing in community health was a great initiative.
“Some illness that can be cured are still killing people in rural areas due to lack of awareness about such illnesses.
On his part, Chief Iman of Benin Central Mosque, Abdulfatah Enabulele, said providing affordable healthcare services to people was one of the much needed services in the society.
Enabulele, however called on the government to provide the enabling environment for more persons to invest in services delivery.
“The problem we are having today is because of some selfish leaders that prefer to invest the country’s wealth abroad rather than in the country”.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to some Nigerians rendering selfless services to the development of the society..
