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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Onyejeocha pledges to sustain free healthcare beyond political office

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Former Minister Nkeiruka Onyejeocha is sustaining her 19-year-old annual free medical outreach, inspired by religious commitment, not politics.
  • The outreach, held in Abia State, provides free healthcare to all residents regardless of political affiliation.
  • Onyejeocha emphasized that the initiative, named after her grandmother, is rooted in personal values and a covenant with God, not public office.

Former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, reaffirmed her commitment to her annual free medical outreach, now in its 19th year. She stated that the initiative is driven by a deep personal religious conviction rather than political motives.

Speaking at the commencement of the Umunneochi phase of the outreach in Abia State, Onyejeocha explained that the program's longevity stems from childhood values of discipline, compassion, and devotion to God instilled by her late grandmother. These lessons, she said, shaped her approach to public service and humanitarian work.

What God said to me is that I should go and represent Him, and I will do what He sent me to do. If He says I have to take care of His people, then I have to take care of His people.

— Nkeiruka OnyejeochaOnyejeocha explains her motivation for sustaining the free medical outreach.

Onyejeocha, who is the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, stressed her dedication to providing free healthcare irrespective of her political status. "What God said to me is that I should go and represent Him, and I will do what He sent me to do. If He says I have to take care of His people, then I have to take care of His people," she stated.

This is not a government health centre. I named it after my grandmother. It has nothing to do with politics; it has everything to do with my covenant with my family and my God.

— Nkeiruka OnyejeochaOnyejeocha clarifies the non-political and personal nature of the health center housing the outreach.

The former minister shared that her dissatisfaction with the "politicisation of healthcare" led her to acquire and construct the Madam Suzanna Mba Health Centre, named after her grandmother. She emphasized that the center is not a government facility and has "everything to do with my covenant with my family and my God," not politics.

She urged healthcare workers involved in the outreach to serve all residents without discrimination, regardless of their political party affiliation. "It is free for everyone, whether you belong to the APC, LP, PDP or ZLP, or even if you do not have a party membership card. I represent everybody, and we all serve one God," Onyejeocha declared.

It is free for everyone, whether you belong to the APC, LP, PDP or ZLP, or even if you do not have a party membership card. I represent everybody, and we all serve one God.

— Nkeiruka OnyejeochaOnyejeocha assures that the medical outreach is accessible to all residents, regardless of political affiliation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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