There was a mild drama today as a group of violent youths armed with weapons prevented a team of medics sent by Prof Gregory Ibe from holding a free medical outreach in Osisioma.

According to Dr Ojum Ogwo, Coordinator of the Prof Gregory Ibe Medical and Surgical Outreach, trouble started when a group of angry youths prevented the fifty man medical team undertaking the programme from accessing the scheduled Abayi Council Hall, on the claim that they had earlier secured the venue for an event. However, on further investigation it was discovered that the youths’ event which turned out to be a new yam celebration was actually billed for a September date.

Despite the presence of many patients who had gathered from remote parts of Osisioma Local Government Area to benefit from the exercise, the youths frustrated every effort to resolve the issue.

Subsequently, it was a frustrated medical team that retreated to a safe haven in Aba, taking with them the medical supplies meant for Osisioma Local Government Area, to the disappointment of the helpless patients.

Correspondents report that the Prof Gregory Ibe Free Medical and Surgical Outreach is a social intervention programme initiated by Prof Gregory Ibe in 1991 to afford indigent members of the society opportunity of receiving solutions to their health challenges. The current ongoing 2022 edition has already treated over 10000 patients while distributing more than 3500 eye glasses in 12 Local Government Areas of Abia state.