The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Niger has offered free surgical intervention and medical services to no fewer than340 indigents at Busu community of Lavun Local Government Area of Niger.
Speaking shortly after the medical and surgical outreach on Saturday at Busu, Dr Mohammed Yusuf, Chairman of NMA in Niger who is also a staff at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Bida, explained that 282 patients benefitted from the free medical consultations.
He disclosed that 16 patients had general surgeries, while 42 patients had obstetric scanning.
“This is our physicians week, it is time to give back to the society and part of of it is that we want to see how we can render free medical services.
“Healthcare delivery in Nigeria is not something that only government can do and healthcare financing out of pocket is the one that people are used to.
“You pay from your pocket and to reduce that out of pocket health care financing that is why we come out render such free medical services to our people,” Dr Yusuf said.
According to him, the medical interventions to the people of Busu community and its environs is an annual event where members of the association reach out to the indigent as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility to the masses.
He said that the association “is doing its best annually to see how it can help indigent people with health challenges’’.
Yusuf also pointed out that Busu community is an agrarian community with many aged citizens.
He noted that some of the common health challenges observed included hypertension, diabetes, malaria fever and hernia.
He listed some of the surgical procedures that were performed to include surgeries for hernia, lipoma and hydrocele among others.
He advised people to always make out time for medical evaluation, adding that early detection of ailment could save lives.
Yusuf advised the government to partner more with the association so as to reach as many communities as possible and assist them in their various health challenges.
In his remarks, a relative of one of the old patient who received surgical intervention, commended the medical doctors for their humanitarian gestures and for saving his son’s life.
Also speaking, Hajiya Fatima Idris-Busu and Alhaji Usman Mohammed-Somaji, commended the medical practitioners for sacrificing their time out of their tight scheduled to come and offer them free medical services.
They said that the gesture was timely considering the present economic hardship being face by the people and prayed to God to always be the association’s strength and guide it in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities. NAN
