Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The NNPC/Heirs Energies JV Host Communities Development Trust, HCDT, has launched a free medical outreach aimed at improving access to quality healthcare for residents across the OML17 host communities in Rivers State.
The initiative, spanning 15 centres in Umuechem, Igwuruta, Mgbodo-Alu, Eneka, Rumukurishi, Oyigbo, Iriebe, Umuebulu, Umuokwa, Odagwa, Egwi, Elelewon, Ozuoba, and Rumuigbo, will deliver free medical consultations, health education, wellness counselling, dental care, eye care, and surgical services to an estimated 4,500 beneficiaries.
The outreach is designed to address both urgent and preventive healthcare needs in the area.
A statement by His Royal Majesty, King Samuel Amaechi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the NNPC/Heirs Energies JV OML 17 HCDT, emphasized the importance of health as a pillar of sustainable development:
“This medical outreach is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the well-being of our people. We recognize that no community can thrive without access to basic healthcare. Through this initiative, the HCDT is not only meeting immediate health needs but also reaffirming its role as a responsive and compassionate development institution. We are grateful to our partners, the NNPC and Heirs Energies, for their support in making this vision a reality.”
The OML17 medical outreach forms part of the Trust’s broader mission to implement sustainable, people-focused development programmes that align with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, and contribute meaningfully to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Medical teams comprising doctors, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, surgeons, and dentists have been deployed across the participating communities. They are supported by local volunteers and community leaders to ensure smooth execution and broad-based impact.
The NNPC/Heirs Energies JV OML 17 Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) is a statutory development platform established under the PIA 2021 to drive sustainable development and economic empowerment for host communities within the OML 17 oil and gas acreage.
Incorporated by the NNPC/Heirs Energies Joint Venture, the OML17 Trust which represents 73 communities, is a transformative model of community engagement – anchored in transparency, inclusion, and long-term impact.
