Renowned American doctor, Joe Tarkon, has extended a helping hand to Ibeju Lekki community, providing medical services, including surgical interventions, optometry and dental care, plus food aid to hundreds of residents in need.
Dr. Tarkon, presiding pastor of City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Atlanta Georgia, is also the Chief Executive Officer of Vital Health International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a vision to protect, promote and restore people’s health.
On December 6 and 7, he mobilised medics from abroad who collaborated with their colleagues in the General Hospital, Ibeju Lekki, led by the Chief Medical Director, Dr. (Mrs.) Ime Okon, to deliver free healthcare to indigents folks, with all of them either receiving free surgical interventions, drugs, corrective glasses, dental care, etc.
Dr. Okon had earlier said the initiative was specifically designed for the underprivileged in Eti Osa, Lekki, Ibeju Lekki, and Epe, who could not afford the life-changing services that included eye screening, treatment and free eyeglasses, dental checks with free scaling and polishing, treatment for dental ailments, surgeries for lumps, Excision biopsies, appendectomies, herniorrhaphies, etc.
On the first day, 500 patients were for general consultation, 137 for eye clinic and 112 for dental clinic.
The second day had 118 for general consultation, 81 for eye clinic and 11 for dental clinic.
Vital Health International Project Manager/Director of Operations, Damilola Kushimo, revealed that over 65 medical professionals, including surgeons, doctors, Ophthalmologists, dentists, pharmacists, lab scientists, and several other experts, participated in the mission.
“We on-boarded a total of about 65 medical professionals at the beginning of planning, but we had other hospital officials join on the different days of the outreach,” she said.
Other highlights of the two-day event included leadership and entrepreneurship training for residents, an evangelistic crusade and the distribution of packs of rice to everyone who attended the crusade which was held at the premises of the Lekki Council Development Area.
Earlier, Dr. Tarkon led some team members of the medical and evangelistic mission, including Pastor (Dr.) John Emmanuel, Dr. Eric Mabo (both from Atlanta Georgia), Dr. Ime Okon, Pastor Ben Arikpo, Pastor Michael Oladejo, to pay a courtesy visit to the Onilekki of Lekki, Oba Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun.