Some surgeons under the aegis of Nigerian Orthopedic Association on Monday in Abuja began the conduct of joint replacement surgeries for six indigent people in Abuja.
This was part of the activities lined up for the 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the association scheduled to start on Dec. 7 in Abuja.
Dr Muhammad Salihu, the National President of the association told newsmen who witnessed two of the six slated surgeries at Garki and National hospitals, Abuja, that they were free for charge.
“We gathered for this AGM on yearly basis and we move from one part of the country to another, as part of the activities, we do have what is called outreach programme where we try to reach out to the poor and individuals who does not have access to Senior Orthopaedic surgeons.
“These are surgeries that generally will cost a minimum of 5 million naira and these are who are finding it difficult to walk or jump as a result of pains in their knees.
“One of the surgeries is going on at the moment at the National Hospital Abuja and the second one is going on here at the Garki Hospital.
“We will continue this exercise tomorrow till the six selected patient have their brown new joint.
“Joint replacement is being done very well in quite a number of hospitals in this country, there is really no need for any Nigerians to travel abroad for total knee replacement,” Salihu said.
He also told newsmen that most members of the association tertiary medical centres in the country are offering such joint replacement surgeries.
He also assured that the materials being used for the surgeries are of good quality imported from United Kingdom, Germany and other developed countries.
He assured Nigerians that surgeries would be cheap when Nigeria started producing all the materials used in the process.
Dr Adamu Onu, the Medical Director, Garki Hospital, commended the association for coming to the rescued of those Nigerians who could not afford the huge payment for surgeries.
Onu urged government to put in place all necessary medical equipment in place to allow members of the association to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
