By Tor Vande-Acka
Over two hundred aged men and women, people with disabilities, pregnant women and vulnerable children have benefitted from a Free Medical Outreach by a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia Support Foundation (HASUF).
The NGO noted that the idea of the outreach is to reach out to targeted beneficiaries in the North Central and also strengthen and promote the well-being of beneficiaries in the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Speaking at a ceremony in Naka, Gwer-West LGA of the state on Thursday, the Chief Executive Director (CED) HASUF, Susan Achiaga said the outreach is part of the humanitarian services embarked upon by the foundation which drew her inspiration from Rev Fr. Alia’s 32 years of Ministration.
She further stated that the selfless service for the helpless and less privileged in society by Fr Alia, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in all the nooks and crannies of the state also served as motivation to embark on the project.
While Achiaga stated that the Vision was to create a healthy environment, through empowerment programmes, she explained that the beneficiaries were tested and treated for malaria cases and also given tips on family healthcare services.
Other services rendered by the NGO include the provision of mosquito nets, de-worming, provision of 10kg bags of rice, menstrual pads, and drugs to pregnant women as well as a health talk on how to manage themselves to avoid high rates of deterioration in health in the absence of other interventions.
The CED also revealed that 50 aged persons, with critical health challenges and other beneficiaries, were carefully selected, across the LGAs, to maintain the status of the organization, which is to encapsulates her humanitarian services.
Also speaking at the occasion, a Board Member of HASUF, Engineer Terese Ninga observed that the NGO is concerned about the fundamental human rights of the poor masses and is out to ensure that the voiceless have equal rights like other folks in the society among which are rights to a suitable health environment and dignity of life.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mama Tabitha Ulam, who is also an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) in the LGA thanked the management of the Foundation for the assistance rendered to them.
While she prayed to God to reward the for the outreach, she expressed delight that the Foundation is reflecting the image of the Catholic Priest (Fr. Alia), who she said, has been in the trenches with them.
HASUF commenced Humanitarian services in the state in 2019, with the mandate to seek areas of critical need of intervention, and assist the most vulnerable in society.