Health

NNS Delta Delivers Free Healthcare Hundreds Of Uvwie Residents

Rita Enemuru, Reporting

THE Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta on Saturday provided free healthcare services to no fewer than 1,000 residents of Uvwie and neighbouring communities in Delta State as part of activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy.

The medical outreach, held at Uvwie Hall of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, brought doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals together to offer free consultations, laboratory investigations, eye and dental care, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, deworming for children and the distribution of drugs to beneficiaries.

Organised by the Nigerian Navy Hospital, Warri, the exercise targeted children, pregnant and nursing mothers, youths, adults and the elderly. Residents also received free wellness items including mosquito nets, insecticides, sanitisers, toothpaste, toothbrushes, blood tonics and reading glasses aimed at promoting preventive healthcare.

Addressing participants, the Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Shehu Tasiu, said the outreach reflected the Navy’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of its host communities and strengthening civil-military relations. He noted that the Navy’s responsibilities go beyond protecting the nation’s maritime domain to supporting the welfare of citizens.

According to him, many people continue to suffer from preventable illnesses because of limited access to healthcare and the high cost of treatment. He said the initiative was designed to bridge that gap by taking medical services directly to the people, especially the less privileged.

The naval commander stressed that the intervention aligned with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff to build a professional and people-oriented Navy. He added that supporting communities through healthcare programmes was one of the ways the service was giving back to the people after seven decades of national service.

Commodore Tasiu said: “Today, the Nigerian Navy, through NNS Delta, has brought our 70th anniversary celebrations to your doorstep in the form of service. Service that heals, service that restores dignity, and service that reminds us that we are all part of one nation.”

“It is my singular honour and privilege to welcome you all to Ovwie Community on this very special occasion. Today, the Nigerian Navy, through Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA, has brought our 70th Anniversary celebrations to your doorstep in the form of service. Service that heals, service that restores dignity, and service that reminds us that we are all part of one nation. Seventy years ago, the Nigerian Navy was established to defend our territorial integrity and secure our maritime domain.

“This free medical outreach to Ovwie Community is one of those actions. On behalf of officers, ratings, civilian staff, and families of NNS DELTA, I welcome our royal father, government representatives, community leaders, and most importantly, every man, woman, and child who has come out today to benefit from this programme. You are the reason we are here.

“You cannot ask a people to partner with you for peace if they are burdened by preventable sickness and lack access to basic care. That is why Nigerian Navy Hospital Warri remains a cornerstone of our civil-military relations. NN Hospital Warri was not built only for naval personnel and their families.

“The Hospital operates daily, but on days like this, we take the Hospital to the people. Through this outreach, the medical team from NN Hospital Warri is providing free consultations, laboratory tests, eye checks, dental checks, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, deworming for children, and free drugs where prescribed. No one will be turned away because they cannot pay. That is the Navy way.

“We deliberately brought this free medical outreach to Ovwie Community because it aligns with the Chief of the Naval Staff’s vision of a professional, people-centered Navy and because we understand the realities on ground. Many of our people live daily with minor ailments that become major problems simply because they cannot afford consultation fees or drugs. A mother will endure pain for months. A fisherman will ignore blurred vision until he can no longer see his nets. A child will miss school because of untreated infection.

“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege of the wealthy. When we bring doctors to your compound instead of waiting for you to travel to us, we remove the barriers of transport cost, long queues, and fear of hospitals. We meet you where you are, as neighbours. The Nigerian Navy has seen enough hardship in the line of duty to know that sacrifice is not limited to men in uniform. The widow who wakes at 4am to sell fish, the youth who refuses to join crime despite pressure, the elder who keeps the community united — these are sacrifices too. Today, let the Navy sacrifice a little of its time and resources to ease your burden. That is what 70 years of service should look like.

“I want to sincerely thank the good people of Ovwie Community for turning out in your numbers. Your presence shows trust. Trust that the Navy is not just about patrol boats and checkpoints, but about people. I thank our royal father and community leaders for granting us access and for mobilizing your people. I thank the medical team of NN Hospital Warri for volunteering their skills and time beyond their normal duties.

“Your professionalism is the Navy’s pride. But this must not end today. I appeal for your continuous support for the Nigerian Navy, for NNS DELTA, and for Nigerian Navy Hospital Warri. Support us by sharing information that helps us secure your waterways and protect your livelihood. Support us by discouraging illegal activities that destroy our environment and endanger lives. Support us by allowing our medical teams access when we come again, and by using NN Hospital Warri for your health needs. The Hospital is your Hospital. When a community and its security agencies work together, criminality has no hiding place. When a community and its Hospital work together, sickness has no hiding place. That is the partnership we seek.”

In his remarks, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Hospital, Warri, Surgeon Umar Adamu, explained that the outreach formed part of the Navy’s anniversary celebrations and was intended to provide accessible healthcare services to residents who might otherwise struggle to obtain medical attention.

He disclosed that patients requiring specialised treatment beyond what was available at the venue would receive referrals to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Effurun free of charge. He also outlined the extensive range of services made available, including HIV and tuberculosis screening, antenatal care, diabetes screening, immunisation, nutritional assessments, hypertension management and electrocardiography.

Adamu said: “People with medical complaints will receive basic primary healthcare services, while cases beyond this level will be referred to the Nigerian Navy Hospital at Effurun or any other health facility based on choice.”

Representing the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, the President-General of Uvwie Kingdom, Chief Abovi Hope Write, praised the Navy for extending its engagement with host communities beyond security matters to include healthcare and social welfare.

He described the outreach as a practical demonstration of partnership between the military and civilians and urged the Navy to sustain and expand such initiatives for the benefit of more residents.

“What the Navy is doing is necessary in strengthening collaboration between the military and civilians. We should not only collaborate in security matters but also in health and food security. This initiative deserves encouragement and should be carried out more often,” he said.

Also speaking, the Secretary of Uvwie Local Government Area, Dr Ovwhojedo Henry, commended the Navy for its longstanding contributions to security, healthcare and community development within the council area.

While acknowledging the success of the outreach, he appealed to the Navy authorities to consider establishing a dialysis centre in the area to assist patients suffering from kidney-related ailments. He also praised the Navy’s efforts in infection prevention and control and thanked the service for its continued support to the local government and its people.

Dr Henry said: “A lot of people are dying from kidney problems. If the Nigerian Navy can come up with a dialysis centre, that will help us a lot.”

He added: “Your partnership has been impactful and transformative. Uvwie Council and indigenes are appreciative of the Navy and its contribution to the community.”

Expressing gratitude, one of the beneficiaries of the medical outreach, Uche Blessing thanked NNS Delta for attending to her eye issue and for the free medical eye glasses that were provided.