The NNPC/Heirs Energies OML 17 Joint Venture Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) officially rolled out a large-scale Free Medical Outreach Programme aimed at enhancing access to quality healthcare for residents within its area of operations.

The programme, which official launch took place on Monday, May 26, 2025 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, aims at covering 15 communities including Umuechem, Igwuruta, Mgbodo-Alu, Eneka, Rumukwurushi, Oyigbo, Iriebe, Umuebulu, Umuokwa, Odagwa, Egwi, Elelenwo, Ozuoba, and Rumuigbo.

The initiative will offer free medical consultations, public health education, wellness support, dental and eye care services, as well as surgical interventions to an estimated 4,500 people.

A statement released ahead of the official flag off in Umuechem in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State disclosed that the outreach is tailored to tackle both immediate and preventive health concerns within the region.

Chairman of the NNPC/Heirs Energies JV OML 17 HCDT Board of Trustees, His Royal Majesty, King Samuel Amaechi highlighted the critical role of healthcare in sustainable development:

“This medical outreach is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the well-being of our people. We recognise that no community can thrive without access to basic healthcare.

“Though this initiative, the HCDT is not only meeting immediate health needs but also reaffirming its role as a responsive and a compassionate development institution.”

“We are grateful to our partners, the NNPC and Heirs Energies for their support in making this vision a reality.”

The medical outreach is part of the Trust’s larger mandate to deliver sustainable, people-centered development in alignment with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Medical professionals including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, surgeons, and dentists have been deployed across the designated communities.

They are being assisted by local volunteers and community representatives to ensure efficient service delivery and widespread impact.

The NNPC/Heirs Energies JV OML 17 Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) was established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 as a statutory vehicle to advance sustainable development and economic empowerment for communities located within the OML 17 oil and gas block.

Formed through the NNPC/Heirs Energies Joint Venture, the Trust noted it embodies a groundbreaking model of community involvement rooted in transparency, inclusion, and enduring impact.

Representing 73 host communities and recognized as the largest HCDT in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the Trust is steadfast in its mission to drive inclusive progress and deliver tangible, long-term benefits to its people, setting a benchmark for meaningful, life-changing development.