A large turnout of residents thronged the Calabar Women and Children Hospital on Monday as a comprehensive free medical mission opened its doors, offering an array of specialist services at no cost. The initiative, spearheaded by the Niger Delta Development Commission in collaboration with its key partners, has been described as one of the most coordinated health interventions the city has seen in recent years.
The outreach, hosted at the hospital on Murtala Mohammed Highway, forms part of a joint push by the Renewed Hope Initiative, ECEWS, CSDON and the Cross River health sector to broaden access to critical healthcare. Organisers explained that the programme will run for five consecutive days, noting that its aim is “to reduce the financial burden on families while providing immediate medical attention to underserved communities across the State.”
The opening day saw teams of volunteer physicians, nurses and specialists work through long queues of patients seeking care. Services ranged from dental procedures and eye treatment to minor and major surgeries. Specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology also attended to women seeking reproductive health support, while laboratory scientists conducted a full slate of diagnostic tests. General consultations ran side by side with these services to ensure no patient was left unattended.
Beneficiaries received free medications and took part in counselling sessions centred on health promotion and disease prevention. For many, the programme could not have come at a better moment. Several residents described the outreach as “timely and commendable,” admitting that the services provided were ones they had struggled to afford. Others confirmed that “no payment was requested” and praised the organisation and professionalism of the medical teams.
The intervention forms part of the activities marking the NDDC’s twenty fifth anniversary, underscoring the Commission’s continued effort to improve public welfare across the Niger Delta. With the mission set to continue daily from 9am to 5pm until Friday, November 28, organisers are urging residents of Calabar and surrounding communities to take advantage of the ongoing services while the programme lasts.
