NAS Offers Free Medical Services To Over 800 Residents in Imo Community

From Omaka OKOH, Abakaliki

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has provided free medical services to more than 800 residents of the Orogwe community in the Owerri West local government area of Imo state.

The medical mission, held at the National Primary Healthcare Centre, was part of the association’s 49th National Konverge and Annual General Meeting in Owerri. 

The event offered diagnosis, treatment, and essential medications to hundreds of community members, many of whom had been unable to access healthcare due to financial hardship.
NAS Cap’n, Dr Joseph Oteri, said the initiative was part of the confraternity’s broader vision to support vulnerable communities and bring healthcare directly to those most in need.

“This programme targets those who ordinarily cannot afford basic healthcare, especially treatment for non-communicable diseases,” 

Oteri said: “Today, we attended to a child with a serious condition. Thankfully, we had a paediatrician on the ground who stabilised her and referred her to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.

"We’ve also identified a few cases that will require surgery, and we plan to support their hospital bills.”

He emphasised that NAS, formed in 1952 by seven young idealists including Imo-born Ralph Opara, has evolved into a formidable force for social advocacy, committed to humanitarian and civic interventions.

Dispelling common misconceptions about the association, Oteri said: “We are not a cult group. We exist to protect the downtrodden and drive positive societal change.”

The association’s Chief Programme Officer, Chief Bart Akelemor, echoed this commitment, stressing that the NAS legacy is one of access, equity, and community service.

“Our mission is to promote a just society where citizens can access resources such as healthcare, education, and employment,”

 Akelemor said: “With Nigeria’s growing population and the acute shortage of doctors and functioning medical facilities in rural areas, bringing this medical outreach to Orogwe is both timely and necessary.”

According to him, 41 volunteer doctors, drawn from across Nigeria and the diaspora, participated in the programme, attending to hundreds of patients with ailments ranging from malaria and hypertension to vision and dental issues.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Chizoba Igwe, who received treatment for malaria, described the initiative as a “life-saving intervention.”

“With the way things are in the country now, I couldn’t afford hospital bills or medication,” 

She said: “This free treatment is a big relief. Many people here share the same feeling.”

Another resident, Mrs Mmesoma Njoku, received medicated glasses after undergoing an eye test.

“I’ve been struggling with my sight for a while, but couldn’t go to the hospital because of money.

" Today, I not only got tested, but they gave me glasses that now help me read tiny print. I am truly grateful,” she said.
NAS Medical Pyrate, Dr Chiazor Odoemene, confirmed that over 800 residents were treated during the outreach, with critical cases referred to public hospitals for further management.

The medical outreach has been lauded as a meaningful complement to the efforts of the Imo State Government in improving healthcare access and delivery, particularly in underserved areas.