Nentawe’s Medical Outreach Earns Widespread Praise as Beneficiaries Call for Better Healthcare in Taraba By Raymond Enoch
Thousands of residents across Taraba State have continued to benefit from the ongoing Renewed Hope Free Medical and Surgical Outreach 2026, with beneficiaries applauding the humanitarian initiative as a life-changing intervention while calling on the Taraba State Government to strengthen investment in accessible and quality healthcare services.
The statewide outreach, organised to commemorate the 58th birthday of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, entered its second day on Tuesday with an overwhelming turnout of women, men, youths and elderly persons seeking free medical consultations, laboratory investigations, medications, specialist care and surgical services.
Paradigm News, which monitored activities at the Primary Health Care Centre in Sunkani and other designated centres in Bali, Gembu, Takum, Bambur and Wukari, observed hundreds of patients arriving from the early hours of the day to receive medical attention from teams of doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals deployed for the exercise.
The outreach is aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare for underserved communities by providing free consultations, laboratory investigations, medications and specialist surgical interventions for residents who would otherwise be unable to afford such services. It also promotes preventive healthcare through early diagnosis, prompt treatment and health education.
Across the various centres, beneficiaries described the programme as a timely intervention that has restored hope to vulnerable families struggling with the rising cost of healthcare.
Mrs. Deborah Isah of Sunkani community, who received treatment for malaria and typhoid, expressed appreciation to the organisers, saying the outreach gave her access to quality medical care at no cost.
“I thank Professor Nentawe Yilwatda for remembering ordinary people like us. I pray God grants him wisdom, good health and greater success in leadership,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr. Abubakar Ahmed, a farmer treated for typhoid, stomach-related ailments and eye problems, said the intervention had relieved many rural residents of financial hardship.
He commended the organisers for taking healthcare to communities that rarely enjoy specialist medical services and urged the Taraba State Government to sustain partnerships that would improve healthcare delivery across the state.
For Miss Dorcas Ephesians, who sought treatment for persistent abdominal pain, the outreach represented renewed hope for underserved communities.
She praised the professionalism and dedication of the medical team, noting that the quality of services demonstrated a genuine commitment to improving healthcare delivery in rural areas. She appealed to the state government to encourage more humanitarian medical interventions capable of reaching vulnerable populations.
Speaking at the Sunkani centre, the team leader, Dr. Williams Golis, stressed that the outreach was driven purely by humanitarian considerations.
“This medical outreach is non-political and non-religious. Our priority is to provide quality healthcare through advanced specialist consultations, appropriate medical treatment and quality surgical interventions for everyone who needs them,” he said.
According to him, the outreach is focused on ensuring that no resident is denied essential healthcare because of financial constraints, adding that the medical teams remain committed to delivering professional services throughout the exercise.
The Renewed Hope Free Medical and Surgical Outreach 2026 is a three-week statewide health intervention designed to provide thousands of residents with free medical consultations, laboratory investigations, medications, specialist care and surgical services.
The first phase, running from August 3 to 7, is taking place simultaneously at six healthcare facilities across Taraba’s three senatorial districts, including the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; General Hospital, Takum; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; Bambur General Hospital; and the Primary Health Care Centre, Sunkani.
The official flag-off of the outreach is scheduled for August 8 to coincide with Professor Nentawe Yilwatda’s 58th birthday. The second phase, from August 8 to 22, will move to the Federal Medical Centre and the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Jalingo, where advanced specialist consultations and complex surgical procedures will be carried out.
Health stakeholders say the initiative demonstrates the impact of humanitarian partnerships in expanding access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural communities where many residents face significant barriers to medical services.
While commending Professor Nentawe Yilwatda for championing the initiative, beneficiaries maintained that sustained government investment in primary, secondary and specialist healthcare infrastructure, medical personnel and essential equipment remains critical to addressing Taraba State’s long-term healthcare challenges and ensuring that quality healthcare becomes accessible to all.
