Health
A US-based Physician and Cleric, Dr Robert Lawson, says his medical volunteers team is committed to improving the health condition of some communities in Gombe state through free medical outreach programmes.
Lawson said this at a ‘Meet and Greet’ event, with his partners at the African International Documentary Festival Foundation (AFIDFF) on Monday in Abuja.
He said his team had worked out modalities to take the outreach to communities that are in need.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lawson, a physician and evangelist with the Church of Christ, Texas, US, said the programme would help to better the lives of people in the communities.
He said that his team comprised of qualified nurses, alongside his Ghanaian partners for the outreach.
According to him, the project will be undertaken with the assistance of his Nigerian partners, and Hope Springs International, a Non-Governmental Organisation.
He said that the team would visit, show care as well as use the opportunity to teach the people about God’s love.
“We try to combine evangelism; teaching people about Jesus Christ with our medical ministry and try to use the gifts God has given to us with medicine to help people who are in need.
“With food and medication, we will mix it with love and care.
“We want to try and be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in other parts of the world and it’s been an honour to be part of this,” he said.
Lawson, who said he had been traveling to West Africa from America since 1991, also said that this was his 78th visit in 32 years, teaching bible lessons to different African countries.
He added that his motivation was drawn from the need to bless other continents.
Mr Rambi Ayala, a representative of Hope Springs International, said he was elated that the volunteers had chosen to take their outreach to Gombe for the good of the people.
Ayala, a philanthropist, said it was kind of the team not to have only come to Nigeria for an outreach, but also to the North East, in spite of the insecurity there.
“It is a big blessing for us to have them leave their comfort zone, all the way from the USA and I know for a fact how difficult it is to get to consult Lawson back in America.
”Here he is, poised to give medical intervention to our people in need, free of charge and make a lot of sacrifices, it is indeed a great privilege,” he said.
Ayala said that the team would also provide palliatives to the communities.
According to him, the organisers have reeled out statistics of the vulnerable and malnourished in the region, expressing optimism that those people will be the primary target.
He, however, noted that the team would provide medical expertise based on what they see on ground and give referrals to those with critical medical conditions.
Ayala said that it was the hope of the team to cover more communities in the North East, adding that the team would concentrate in Gombe for now and subsequently extend to other parts in subsequent visits.
In her remarks, Mrs Malame Manghza, Director-General, AFIDFF, lauded the effort and sacrifice of the team to ensure they visited not just the continent, but Nigeria in particular.
She said that it was the expectation of all involved that the visit would not only impact on the lives of the people of Gombe, but also give room for future collaborations in community development.
Manghza appreciated the team for the opportunity given to her foundation to capture and document the visit.
She, however, urged them to explore the good culture and artistry the country had to offer, in spite of its socio-economic challenges.
NAN reports that the six-man medical outreach and evangelism team will stay in Gombe for the six-day free healthcare and evangelism service delivery. (NAN)
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October 30, 2023 @ 14:33 GMT|
Tags: Dr Robert Lawson
