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Friday, June 20, 2025

Nigeria’s Health Sector, ANPA Medical Missions And Other Issues

Recently, precisely on Saturday May 3, 2025, the Association of Nigerian Physicians, America Carolina’s Chapter (ANPA), in conjunction with Heart Bright Foundation, at Carolina Lakes Golf Club, 23012, Kingfisher Dr, Indiana Land, SC, United States of America (USA), held its 2025 ANPA Carolina Symposium and Golf Tournament, to raise funds for ANPA National to support medical missions and workshops in Nigeria.

ANPA is the Association of Nigerian Physicians in America, a non-profit organization representing Nigerian medical professionals in America incorporated in 1995 for educational, scientific and charitable purposes as a tax-exempt non-profit organization under section 501(c) (3) of the internal revenue code.

At the event, ANPA made a donation sum of $20, 000, to Heart Bright Foundation, a health focused organization whose mission is to promote cardiovascular wellness through prevention, awareness, and partnerships in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area of the country, a gesture which was received by Ms Nicole Bonesteel on behalf of Heart Bright Foundation.

Also, very alluring is the awareness that ‘’Heart Bright Foundation is a  time trusted world class organization reputed for promoting cardiovascular wellness through prevention, awareness, and partnerships in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area.  I am confident and full of hope that the organization will direct this donated sum to what it is meant for. They focus mainly on cardiovascular wellness and education by treating the risks such as diabetes, stroke, and hypertension.  They have a free clinic in the South End area which helps patients that have (or are at high risk for) heart disease or Diabetes. They will not disappoint,’’ Sir Tonna concluded.

Standing as the pillars behind the colourful event was the well respected and internationally celebrated physician, Edo born Dr. Uyi Phillip Igbinadolor, DMD FAGD, (Member, ANPA Golf Committee, NPAG Board of Trustees and former President University of Benin Alumnus Association North America), who was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, another devoted member of ANPA. Igbinadolor and his wife were roundly praised, celebrated for their outstanding and unwavering commitment towards the growth and development of ANPA and for their unrelenting and unparalleled contributions toward community development in Edo state in particular and the United States in general.

For me, there are reasons for Nigerians to appreciate these present efforts.

Some months ago, the United States-based Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group (NPAG), along with Grand Knight Sir Tonna Okei (Ikuku Oma), leader of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the ANPA Carolina chapter, in like manner, met with key U.S. leaders on Saturday, September 14, 2024, in Columbia, SC, and held discussions that focused on opening pathways for strategic collaborations and strengthening critical relationships between government entities and the Nigerian community.

Adding context to the discourse, the Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group (NPAG), under the leadership of Dr. Susan Edionwe, MD, FACS, serves as the 501(c)(4) advocacy affiliate of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization. Both entities represent physicians residing and practicing in the Americas.

The delegation to the meeting was led by Dr. Uyi Igbinadolor and Dr. Joel Anifowokan (Chair of ANPA’s Carolina chapter), along with Grand Knight Emeritus Tonna Okei (Ikuku Oma), President of the Organization of African Unity SC, and Ms. Nnenna Amuji, Presidential Aide, the group paid a joint working and courtesy visit to the federal appointee for the Southeast Crescent Commission, a federal agency in the United States.

As a public affair analyst, it is important to confess that as ambitious as the development sounded, I have no idea of the cost implication, (human and financial), of executing such an initiative at international stage and scale.

However, as a public relations professional, I need not pause to know that in reputational terms, the initiative amply qualifies as both an impressive and exemplary development that will be too difficult to erase in the sand of international relations history.

Aside from acting as a platform for Nigerians to present a far reaching advocacy goal that not only advances the immediate needs of members but also supports NPAG’s sincere desire to influence health legislation and shaping policies in both the U.S. and Nigeria such as contributing to the appointment of Nigerian ambassadors to the U.S, facilitate Nigerian representation within the White House, and support physicians in addressing future challenges, the gathering going by quality of presentation by visiting Nigerians frontally confirmed as true the long held believe that as a nation, Nigeria may be addressed as a third world but in both human and material terms, her citizens have, through hard work, established themselves globally in all sectors-finance, sci-ence/technology, sports and education among others.

In addition to ebulliently manifesting without doubt signs of a people that have left behind third world challenges of illiteracy and poverty, to become global citizens with best human capital resources, this well foresighted visit  further amplified community organizing technique domiciled in Dr. Susan Edionwe, MD, FACS, led NPAG.

It also, throws more light as to why Nigerians with critical minds should conclude that with creative and transformative leadership presently delivered by Dr. Susan Edionwe, at NPAG, United States Government should be set to see Nigerian communities compete healthily with other well established and long thriving communities such as Jewish communities among others, resident in USA.

Even as Nigerians across the country continue to celebrate these worthy ambassadors, I must confess that the present donation will both appreciably and significantly impact the nation’s health sector. It is also important that other credible groups  and worthy Nigerians at both home and abroad draw a lesson from the present effort and in like manner, support our health sector with critical infrastructure needed for efficiency  and effective discharge of health related responsibilities.

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