The Golden Initiative for All (GIFA) has concluded the current phase of its “Wheels of Hope” Medical Outreach in Ika Local Government Area, where it provided free healthcare services to pregnant women and children aged 0–5, as part of activities marking GIFA’s second anniversary.
Speaking at the grand finale of the outreach, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady and Chairman, Board of Trustees of GIFA, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, described the programme as honouring the legacies of the organisation’s founder, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, whose posthumous birthday coincides with the anniversary celebration.
Lady Obareki, represented by the wife of the Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mrs Enobong Edidem, said the outreach, which took the medical team to Uyo and ONNA Local Government Areas, was deliberately designed to take quality healthcare to communities where distance and accessibility often hindered access to medical services, particularly for mothers and children, and to secure the future of the next generation.
The GIFA Chairperson commended Governor Umo Eno for prioritising grassroots healthcare under his ARISE Agenda, while also appreciating the leadership of the Ika Local Government Council and the medical personnel for their support throughout the outreach.
She assured residents that while the Wheels of Hope programme would be transitioning into another phase, beneficiaries should continue to visit Primary Healthcare Centres, practice hygiene and nutrition lessons learnt during the programme, emphasising that health is a continuous journey.
In an address of welcome, wife of the Chairman of Ika Local Government Council, Mrs Idongesit Nwoko, who described the intervention as a testament to the inclusive and people-centred approach of governance, lauded GIFA for its effort in the fight against diseases, as well as its commitment to promoting maternal and child healthcare.
On his part, the Chairman of Ika Local Government Council, Barr. Utibe Nwoko, expressed appreciation to Governor Umo Eno and GIFA for the humanitarian gesture and their demonstration of love for Ika people through sustained health interventions, infrastructural development, and the ongoing agricultural revolution.
The Team Lead of GIFA, Pastor Anne Abraham, described the outreach as a true reflection of service, compassion and purposeful leadership, appreciating Governor Umo Eno for his unwavering support and for placing the well-being of women, children and the elderly at the centre of governance.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Peace Abraham, expressed gratitude to the Akwa Ibom State Government and GIFA for the timely medical assistance, describing it as a life-saving intervention that has brought hope and relief to many families in the area.
GIFA remains committed to improving the health and well-being of Akwa Ibom people by providing medical consultations, antenatal checks, child health services, and the distribution of vitamins, targeting pregnant women and young children across the host communities.
