Madonna University Med Students Field Trip To RECDOT - Inspiring Story and Sights!!

I actually saw a colleague wipe a tear from her eye. It was on our first field trip in this department. We began our Community Medicine Rural and Urban posting yesterday. It was the first class outing in a series of scheduled outings. It is also part of academic events we are to undertake before we would be qualified for the MBBS Professional Degree. So you can imagine our expectations on this first trip.

In the heart of a South Eastern Nigeria Town, Owerri, for this is where our pristine hostel accommodation is located, we set out for our trip.
Our destination was the Rehabilitation Centre for The Disable, Old and Tramps (RECDOT), Ozubulu in Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra State, Nigeria.

A unique rehabilitation centre run by private individuals under the support of Anambra State government and some Non Governmental Organisations. The 15 year-old institution is run purely on charity and by divine inspiration according to the founder, Mrs Rosemary Onunokpe. It was commissioned by former first lady of Anambra state, Mrs Nnene Mbadinuju. The centre has a primary school, secondary school, hospital, old people's home, and hostel accommodation for the handicap children. The hospital and church is still at different stages of completion and promises to be state-of-the-art structures.

More inspiring was the love and care the teachers and staff show to the disabled little children, some of who were blind, crippled, deaf or dumb. Some other children had a medical condition - Cerebral Palsy- that have no known cure, save for rehabilitation efforts, love and care. The kids were also thrilled to have received us. One particular blind kid, I was told, was rolling all over the floor because he was happy to hear unfamiliar voices.

I was also impressed because some physiotherapy students from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, were on a one month posting at the facility.

We had an extensive tour of the facility, during which we met with the principal of the school, the physiotherapist of the centre and other key officials of the centre. Then it began clear, the connect between rehabilitative medicine and the centre (a typical paradigm shift from the conventional practice).

After about 3 hours in the RECDOT institution, we said a little prayer together and we said our goodbyes. See photos of special moments at the RECDOT;