Seadogs Intervene with Borehole, Medical Outreach as Waterborne Diseases Ravage Akwa Ibom Community
The community of Afaha Atai in the Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is facing a severe health crisis due to an outbreak of waterborne diseases.
Over 500 households, totaling more than 2,000 residents, have reported cases of illnesses including typhoid, malaria, cholera, dysentery, and Hepatitis A, which have heavily impacted local families.
This public health emergency was highlighted during the commissioning of a newly renovated solar-powered borehole and a free medical outreach organized by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, on Saturday.
Dr. Eshiet Ekanem, Medical Mate of NAS’s Sancta Riviera Deck, revealed that a detailed scoping mission was conducted in Afaha Atai and neighboring communities to assess healthcare needs before the outreach.
The team was alarmed by the high rate of illnesses directly linked to the community’s long-standing problem of unsafe drinking water.
Dr. Ekanem noted, “Our findings showed that water scarcity in this area has led to an increase in waterborne diseases.”
The medical team prepared to treat common illnesses like malaria, typhoid, and scabies.
Furthermore, they made specific provisions for age-related conditions such as arthritis and poor vision after discovering that approximately 35 percent of the residents are elderly, with nearly a third of that group aged 70 years and above.
The team prepared supplies sufficient to serve an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 beneficiaries.
Dr. Joseph Oteri, NAS Captain, explained that the intervention was part of the association’s activities marking its quarterly meeting.
He stated that the decision to bring the outreach to Afaha Atai was specifically due to the prevalence of waterborne and communicable diseases in the area.
According to Dr. Oteri, NAS typically conducts scoping missions to select communities based on disease prevalence and population, which informs the quantity of medical supplies and personnel required.
Evang. Edidiong Inyang, the Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, officially commissioned the renovated solar-powered borehole.
He lauded the Seadogs for the project, calling it a “lifeline” for residents who had long lacked access to basic healthcare and were forced to depend on unsafe water sources due to the borehole being abandoned for an extended period.
