AIHWA International Marks 10 Years of Transforming Healthcare Across Africa with Massive Free Medical Outreaches in Imo

The American Initiative for Health and Wellness in Africa (AIHWA) has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a three-day humanitarian programme that brought free medical services to thousands of residents across Imo State and beyond.

The Nigerian anniversary celebration, which commenced on Wednesday, June 16, at the AIHWA Hope Center, the prideful home of AIHWA Integrated Medical Clinic, AIHWA Vision Care, AIHWA Diagnostics and AIHWAvita located near Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Imo State, featured extensive free medical examinations and treatments for beneficiaries drawn from various communities.

As part of activities marking the milestone, AIHWA has launched a long awaited programme in Nigeria known as “AIHWA Eye Care for School Children”. In this regard, AIHWA has started free eye examinations for children in schools. This initiative was inspired by the results of a study showing how lack of care for children’s eyes and ignorance among parents and teachers in this regard have contributed significantly to poor performance of children in schools.

The first schools to benefit from this initiative were TTC Practising School, Irete, in Owerri West Local Government Area, and Great Diamond High School, Egbu, in Owerri North Local Government Area, where pupils, students, and teachers received free eye screenings and medical consultations.

Flagging off the anniversary celebration, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AIHWA International, Rev. Fr. Dr Kenny Udumka, CSSp, said the organisation was established to provide integrated healthcare that addresses the body, mind and soul, especially among the less privileged.

“Today, we are marking the 10th anniversary of AIHWA International, a nonprofit organisation which was founded in 2016 to attend to the health needs of the people of Africa in a holistic manner,” Fr. Udumka remarked.

The Catholic priest expressed satisfaction with the organisation’s achievements over the past decade, citing its growing impact and reach across communities in Nigeria and other African countries through primary healthcare services, eye care interventions, mental health counselling, financial support for indigent patients in hospitals, patient education seminars, capacity-building workshops for healthcare providers, and numerous free medical outreaches.

Speaking during the kickoff, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Okigwe, Dr. Mrs. Emily Akuabia Nzeribe, commended AIHWA International for its humanitarian interventions. She stressed the importance of good health in societal development and urged other associations and organisations to emulate AIHWA’s example as she looked forward to a strong partnership between AIHWA and FMC Okigwe.

Also lending his voice, the host traditional ruler, Eze Geoffrey Okoro, described the organisation’s 10th anniversary as a celebration of positive impact and selfless service to humanity. He appreciated the organisers of the free medical programme and offered royal blessings for the continued growth and success of the mission.

Many beneficiaries who received medical care expressed gratitude to AIHWA for providing relief amid prevailing economic challenges. Mr. Emmanuel Nwachukwu, Evangelist Beatrice Chigozie and Mrs. Oluchi Opara, among others, praised the organisation for bringing quality healthcare services closer to the people and easing the financial burden associated with medical treatment.

At TTC Practicing School, Irete, where the eye care for school children was conducted, the Chairman of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA), Imo State Chapter, Dr. Patrick Iwuchukwu, underscored the importance of good vision to academic performance.

He lamented that children’s eye health often receives inadequate attention despite its critical role in learning and development. Dr. Iwuchukwu commended AIHWA for the initiative, noting that it aligns with the Imo NOA’s “Anya Ndi Imo Dimma Project.”

Addressing journalists on the rationale behind the outreach, Fr. Udumka explained that AIHWA recognised the challenges faced by learners with vision problems and was committed to helping address those challenges through early detection, treatment and awareness creation.

He stated that the exercise was designed not only to identify and manage eye-related conditions among pupils and students but also to promote healthy eye-care practices among young people.

In her remarks, the Headteacher of TTC Practicing School, Mrs. Ezinwanne Nwokeogu, described the outreach as a groundbreaking intervention. “This is the first of its kind in addressing eye-related challenges affecting some of our teachers and pupils. This free outreach is a great relief for beneficiaries in our school,” she said.

Similarly, the Proprietress of Great Diamond High School, Egbu, Mrs. Fidelia Uhuegbe, expressed appreciation to AIHWA for extending the outreach to her institution.

“I’m very grateful to have the AIHWA team in our school. We have longed for this opportunity because some of our students and teachers are having eye problems. This medical attention will help them in their studies, and AIHWA should be commended for this humanitarian work,” she stated.

Pupils and students who benefited from the programme also expressed their appreciation, noting that the intervention had relieved their parents of the financial burden of seeking medical attention for eye-related conditions.

The anniversary celebration served not only as a reflection on AIHWA’s decade-long journey of service but also as a reaffirmation of its commitment to advancing accessible, holistic and compassionate healthcare for vulnerable populations across Africa.