Orlu group receives medical supplies from Project C.U.R.E.
3 min read
The American based Orlu United Medical Foundation OUMF, last week on April 14, 2023 received two 40 feet containers loaded with medical equipment and supplies all the way from the United States of America. The OUMF which is a non-profit organization made up of sons and daughters of Orlu in America owns the Merit School of Nursing Umuowa in Orlu Imo State. The nonprofit body was founded by Dr (Mrs) Chika Ugbaja who is the executive director of the NGO.
The event which attracted high profile personalities across the state and the Umuowa community provided an opportunity the several VIPs in attendance during the presentation to demonstrate their deep rooted joy and extol the benevolence of Project C.U.R.E.
From the fillers Umuaka Times correspondent who covered the event obtained, on ground to take the delivery of the medical supplies were the founder of the NGO, Dr. Mrs Chika Ugbaja, the Imo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Prosper Ohaya, Rev Father Ezeani (USA) who is the spiritual director of Merit School of Nursing. Also at the event was Mrs Ucheamaka M Oranusi, the Imo State Director of Nursing Services. The royal father of the day who graced the event with his royal blessings was HRH Eze Duruigbo, traditional ruler of Umuowa community, the host town of the OUMF and the Merit School of Nursing.
While reacting to the kind gesture from Project C.U.R.E., the spiritual director of Merit School of Nursing Rev. Father Ezeani used the opportunity to thank the donors for their global kind gesture especially across the third world countries. Rev Ezeani appealed to both state and Federal Government institutions in Nigeria to create an enabling environment to make the dream of the founders of the NGO and the donors to come true.
The medical supplies which were worth millions of Naira constitute a part of the global program of the Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment globally known as PROJECT C.U.R.E. The donor agency according to the findings Umuaka Times made is based in Centennial, Colorado in the United States of America. Project C.U.R.E. has been described as one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world whose impact is felt in many developing countries globally.
The purpose of Project C.U.R.E. is “to collect and sort donated medical supplies and equipment from manufacturers, hospitals, and surpluses and then distribute the supplies and equipment to developing countries based on a needs assessment of the local hospitals and clinics in those countries.”
One of the documents Umuaka Times came across last week concerning the activities of the Project C.U.R.E. holds that,
“The idea of PROJECT C.U.R.E. was created in 1987 by James W. Jackson. During a trip to Brazil, Jackson observed how many of the clinics in rural areas were unable to accommodate many of the patients due to the lack of medical supplies and equipment and the large number of people seeking medical attention. When Jackson returned home to Colorado, he collected about $250,000 worth of medical supplies for a Brazilian clinic. Since 1987, PROJECT C.U.R.E. has expanded and, as of 2017, worked in over 134 countries around the world, including India, Ethiopia, Kenya and Mexico.”
Nigeria has now joined the list of beneficiaries powered by Project C.U.R.E.
