Residents of Mbano in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State were on Friday, April 10, 2026, thrown into excitement as the 2026 edition of the annual free medical mission spearheaded by the Mbano National Assembly (MNA) in the United States officially commenced, with over 5,000 beneficiaries expected.
The nine-day humanitarian outreach, holding at the Mbano Joint Hospital, is being organised in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) and the Nigerian Women Association of Georgia (NWAG), with additional support from the Dewdrop Foundation.
Speaking to journalists, the President of MNA USA, Sir Obioma Iwuagwu, said the initiative, which has run for over 25 years, is aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of underserved communities.
“We are Mbano people in the diaspora who came here for the 2026 medical mission under the auspices of Mbano National Assembly in the US. We come home every year to help our brothers and sisters who are less privileged to access healthcare, maybe due to their financial status,” he said.
“So, what we are doing is to bring healthcare closer to our people free of charge. We are happy that ANPA indicated interest to be part of this year’s edition,” he added, noting that the group had previously built a state-of-the-art surgical theatre facility at the hospital.
Iwuagwu disclosed that the outreach is open to all Nigerians on a first-come, first-served basis, stressing that the organisation operates as a non-profit.
“Every year we attend to not less than 5,000 persons, and we operate for five days, Monday to Friday, but we are going to extend it to nine days this year, so as to accommodate more people who are in dire need of medical attention,” he said.
Highlighting the scope of services, he added: “We perform over 200 surgeries any time we come, but we are going to exceed that number this year, because we are going to carry out different types of surgeries such as tumour extraction, fibroid, hernia, eye operations and others.
“We receive patients and give them quality medication that we are very sure of, because the drugs are from the US.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the 2026 Diaspora Medical Mission, Chidi Alino, described the programme as a growing global initiative with representatives beyond the United States.
“It has continued to grow from strength to strength, and we are recording tremendous improvement every year. This year is a special year because we are working with ANPA. We are just making sacrifices for our people; no one is sponsoring us,” he said.
“We pay our air tickets to come home for this programme every year, and we are happy doing this for our people because health, they say, is wealth, and a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.”
The outreach also received a boost from NWAG through its “Feed the Hungry 2026” initiative, which provided food support to beneficiaries, particularly the elderly and vulnerable.
Founder of Dewdrop Foundation and a key member of NWAG, Mrs. Agatha Nnaji, emphasised the importance of dignity and structure in delivering humanitarian services.
“The focus is not just on providing support, but on doing so in a structured and respectful manner. We have been deliberate about ensuring order, dignity, and inclusion, particularly for elderly and vulnerable beneficiaries,” she said.
She further highlighted the role of collaboration in the success of the programme.
“This kind of initiative is only possible through strong collaboration. Bringing together partners like NWAG, ANPA, and Dewdrop Foundation allows us to reach more people and deliver support in a more coordinated and impactful way,” Nnaji added.
She noted that the outreach would extend to other locations across Imo State in the coming days as part of the broader ANPA medical mission.
The event witnessed orderly coordination, with beneficiaries receiving medical consultations, treatments, and food support in a well-structured process, reflecting the growing impact of diaspora-led humanitarian interventions in Nigeria.
