Over 8,000 people benefit from Sani Bello free Surgeries in Niger
The Sani Bello Foundation has treated over eight thousand (8,000) persons with various health challenges in its Foundation’s free surgical festival in Kontagora, Niger state.
In the past five years, the free surgical operations by the Foundation, had 859 persons treated in 2016 the figure increased to 924 persons in 2017, while in 2018 no fewer than 948 persons benefitted, in 2019 where the foundation had two batches 2,931 persons got treated while in 2020, a huge number of 2,301 benefitted.
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Some of the diseases treated include; goitre, lumps, appendicitis, fibroids, hernia and eye-related diseases.
One of the beneficiaries, 70 year old Amina Garba Lami while thanking the Foundation said she has had goitre for about two decades.
Another beneficiary, 54year old Halima Mohammed Erena who has suffered from goitre for over 6 years told our Correspondent that one of her friends in Gwada, Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger state who had goitre surgery told her about the free medical surgery.
The 2021 surgery is ongoing as the number has according to the foundation is increasing by the day with 814 cases, 165 surgeries, 93 glasses issued and another 556 persons screened.
The surgery which holds for three days during the weekend had beneficiaries including aged men and women from across Niger and other neighbouring states.
Speaking shortly after touring the health facilities and saw the beneficiaries and the surgeons, the Director General of the Sani Bello Foundation, Mr. Zakari Ikani said so far, it has carried out over 2,000 surgeries, handled over 1000 cataract cases and given out more than 1000 glasses.
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It should be noted that Col. Sani Bello is the former Military Administrator of old Kano.
Ikani had earlier explained that the medical outreach in collaboration with Graceland Healthcare Development Foundation is one of the legacies of Col. Sani Bello (rtd) who is the Chairman and Founder of the Sani Bello Foundation’s medical outreach to put smiles on the faces of the sick and less privileged citizens.
Zakari who said there is no restrictions or biasness in the choice and selection of beneficiaries however expressed fears that with the number of people that turned out, the Col. Sani Bello Foundation will not be able to cater for all the patients that came for the surgical festival.
According to him, “our target is 300 people but it has been very difficult for us to keep out targets yearly, we always meet and surpass our targets each year, the number of people left unattended to at the end is always mind burgling”.
“We targeted less than 1,000 people this year for the free surgical operations on cataract surgeries, for drugs for those whose vase don’t require 0 for eye patients and 1,000 glasses to be shared.
Head Doctor of Graceland Health Care Development Foundation, Dr. John Kodo said that in conventional hospitals, most of the cases treated during the free health care festival will cost each of the patients between N50,000 and N500,000, adding that “majority of the beneficiaries have been living with the ailment for years due to paucity of funds”.
He assured that, the foundation will liaise with the state Ministry of Health for post surgery issues.