Massive Jubilation In South East As President Tinubu’s Aide, Barr. Chioma Nweze Launched Free Medical Outreach And Skill-Up South East Empowerment Program For All Communities In South East
– As President Tinubu flags off ultra modern Cancer Centre at
David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Dez Mayorz Report.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagements (South-East), Hon. Barr. Chioma Nweze has launched a free medical program for communities in the South East and a Skill-up South East agenda which is an empowerment program and an initiative of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
At the flag-off ceremony held on 8th March 2025 at the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Science, Uburu, Ohaozara LGA, Ebonyi State; Hon. Barr. Chioma Nweze said the health program is on;
Free cancer screening for 6 months, free eye testing and free glasses for the first 200 patients, and free dialyses for one year.
She said the program is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promotion of healthy communities in the South East region of Nigeria.
The health program is done In conjunction with David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences and the Ebonyi State Government.
Barr. Chioma Nweze added that the Skill-up South East Agenda is beginning with a four-month free tailoring training exercise aimed at unveiling the fashion potential in Igbo-Land.
Free Accommodation for the period of the training with modern tailoring facilities and startup grants.
Watch the video here.
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In the main event, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the ultra-modern Cancer Centre at the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi.
Tinubu inaugurated the centre and described it as one of the best cancer centres in Nigeria.
The President who was represented by Chief David Umahi, Minister of Works and the immediate past governor of Ebonyi, donated 2000 kilo watts of regular power supply to the institution.
The president said that his administration would continue to support the University to achieve its cardinal vision of being a center of excellence in medical and health sciences to eliminate medical tourism in Nigeria.
“This institution without regular power is no institution, we will ensure that more lands are acquired to accommodate the structure,” the president said.
In his address, Prof. Jesse Uneke, the Vice-Chancellor of the university in his address of welcomes, thanked the president for his commitment to infrastructure development in the university.
He described the cancer centre as a state-of-the-art centre of excellence for cancer research, training, and patient care.
The VC said that the center was operating with a multi-disciplinary team of experts specializing in conducting research and training on cancer-related issues and caring for people with cancer disease.
“The centre conducts and supports research, training, dissemination, and other programs related to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and continuing care of cancer patients and families of cancer patients,” Uneke said.
He said that in a 2022 report from the World Health Organisation Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCON), a total of 127,763 new cases of cancer were reported in Nigeria.
Uneke explained that out of the number 48,096, representing 37.6 percent were male while 76,667 representing 62.4 percent were females.
The VC further said that the report indicated that the number of cancer-related deaths stood at 79,542 of which 33,905, representing 41.4 percent were males while 46,637, representing 58.6 percent were females.
He said that a total of 207 cancer patients had been treated at the centre, adding that 88 patients were male cancer patients while 119 were female cancer patients.
“A total of 107 patients are aged between 40 and 69 years old. The commonest cancers are breast cancer, cancer of the cervix, and cancer of the head/neck,” the VC added.
Dez Mayorz Report.
8th March, 2025.
