Emeka Duruigbo set to host free foreign medical mission for Umuaka people, others in Orlu.

(Belgian medical specialists to provide free surgeries, consultations and medicines from September 7).

Professor Emeka Duruigbo, a United States-based academic and indigene of Umuaka, has announced a free medical mission aimed primarily at bringing specialized and general healthcare services to people of Umuaka and other residents of Imo State and surrounding communities. The medical intervention, which Professor Duruigbo is hosting through the Emeka & Cherish Duruigbo Foundation, Houston, Texas, will take place at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, from September 7 to 18, 2026.

The mission is being organized in collaboration with REVIVE vzw Belgium, Star B Revive and the Imo State Ministry of Health, and will feature a team of medical professionals from Europe who have volunteered to provide free healthcare to patients in need.

Speaking in an interview with Umuaka Times, Professor Duruigbo explained that the decision to hold the mission in Orlu was necessitated by the absence of a government hospital in Umuaka. He said that although the medical team would be operating from Orlu, the initiative was conceived principally to benefit Umuaka people, while also extending the opportunity to other members of the public.

Umuaka Times gathered that patients with wide range of health concerns and others with urological conditions as well as those requiring plastic surgery, burns management and skin grafting, are expected to benefit.Consultations will cover conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, pain and other ailments, with most of them receiving professional medical assessment and advice.Free medicines will also be distributed as part of the intervention.

According to the reports filed by an Umuaka Times correspondent in the United States, Professor Duruigboused the medium and disclosed that the mission represents a rare opportunity for people who may otherwise be unable to afford specialized medical treatment to access the services of experienced foreign medical professionals at no cost.

The involvement of REVIVE vzw Belgium, according to information contained in a letter from its President, Dr. Herman De Gezelle, underscores the international character of the intervention. REVIVE vzw is a Belgian non-profit organization known for conducting free medical missions, particularly in Africa, with a focus on helping people who cannot afford necessary medical treatment. Its interventions have included the treatment of conditions such as cleft lip, fistula, uterine prolapse, goitre, hernia, prostate-related conditions and breast cancer, among others.

The organization has been conducting medical missions in Nigeria since 2019, with previous interventions involving hospitals and communities in Enugu, Delta, Lagos, Abia, Anambra, Katsina and Taraba states. For the forthcoming Orlu mission, REVIVE is expected to provide Belgian surgeons, anesthetists, general practitioners, nurses and other healthcare professionals, as well as the necessary medical equipment and drugs required for the intervention.In a June 25, 2026 letter to the Imo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. De Gezelle formally requested authorization for REVIVE to conduct the free medical surgeries at the Orlu facility. The mission is being facilitated by Professor Emeka Duruigbo and the Emeka & Cherish Duruigbo Foundation.The organization also has other medical missions planned in Nigeria, including an intervention at Onitsha General Hospital in October 2026 and another at Abia State Teaching Hospital, Aba, in December 2026.

Professor Duruigbo urged Umuaka people, particularly those who have been unable to obtain specialized medical attention because of financial constraints, to take advantage of the mission. He stressed that patients should not assume that the program is meant only for surgical cases, noting that the general consultation component provides an opportunity for people with common health concerns to receive medical attention from qualified professionals.

The intervention is being conducted under the theme “Restoring Health. Restoring Hope. Transforming Lives,” with compassion, excellence, care and impact identified as its core values. Members of the public who require further information about the program can contact the Umuaka Times on +234 803 430 7689.

Professor Duruigbo expressed hope that the medical mission would bring meaningful relief to individuals and families struggling with the cost of healthcare, while providing Umuaka people with access to an international medical team despite the mission being hosted outside the community.