In a major medical intervention aimed at alleviating the suffering of the less privileged, the Sani Bello Foundation, with the Graceland Healthcare Development Foundation, has successfully concluded a massive free medical outreach at the General Hospital, Kontagora.
The outreach, organized to commemorate the birthday of Col. Sani Bello (Rtd) recorded a massive turnout, with medical teams screening over 3,000 patients and successfully performing surgeries on more than 600 beneficiaries.
Defying insecurity to save lives
Speaking on the rationale behind the event, the Vice Chairman of the Foundation, Usman Sani Bello, disclosed that the board had considered cancelling this year’s outreach due to the prevailing security challenges in the region but the humanitarian imperative to save lives prevailed.
“The driving force is simply helping humanity. We realized that if we didn’t do it this year because of security fears, the people who have been waiting a whole year would have to wait yet another year, potentially worsening their conditions. So, we buckled up, mobilized the team, and we are here.”
Comprehensive medical interventions
This year’s outreach was marked by a significant expansion in scope. According to The Chief Surgeon and Chairman of the Graceland Health Development Foundation, Kaduna, Dr. Tort Joseph, the team moved beyond general surgery to include dental care for the first time, treating over 500 dental cases.
There were also gynaecological surgeries which include vaginal hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) and repairs for vaginal prolapse.
“Our target for general surgeries is usually around 450, but we have already exceeded that. We have done over 400 general surgeries and treated 500 dental cases within a very short time,” Dr. Totd noted.
Eye Care: Restoring sight
A critical component of the outreach was the ophthalmic unit. Dr. Ogunlu Stanley, a Consultant Ophthalmologist from Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, confirmed that the team surpassed their target of 100 cataract surgeries.
“Cataract surgery typically costs between N90,000 and N100,000 in public hospitals, and much higher in private facilities. Here, patients are receiving this surgery, along with post-op drugs, completely free of charge,” Stanley stated.
In addition to surgeries for cataracts and pterygium, the Foundation distributed over 600 pairs of reading glasses, with a target to distribute 1,000 by the end of the exercise.
Prof. Aminu Zakari-Mohamed of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital noted that while cataracts are often age-related, the Foundation ensures that even complex cases, such as a teenager with neurofibroma, are sponsored for treatment at the National Eye Center in Kaduna.
Economic relief for the people
The outreach provided immense financial relief to residents. The Director General, Dr Zakari Ikani cited instances where patients had been billed millions of Naira elsewhere for procedures that the Foundation performed for free.
“We had a patient who was billed N3.5 million elsewhere for a surgery we did here at zero cost. Another had paid N1 million for a pterygium surgery in Abuja, but when he heard of this outreach, he came here and got treated for free,” Ikani recounted.
Combatting malnutrition
Beyond surgical care, the Foundation highlighted its commitment to child health through the Malnutrition Support Centre, an initiative of Hajiya Rabi Sani Bello.
The centre is dedicated to rehabilitating severely malnourished children.
“For every medical case you see, there are likely 10 children starving somewhere due to the economic situation,” Usman Sani Bello explained during a visit to the center after surgical operations.
He said that the facility treats critical cases, feeding and nursing children back to a favorable weight before discharging them.
A hub for all Nigerians
Despite being situated in Kontagora, the outreach attracted beneficiaries from across Nigeria.
“We don’t select based on who you know. It is first come, first served,” the DG clarified. “We have treated patients who travelled from Lagos, Akure, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan. Even within Niger State, residents of Minna and Gwada form a large portion of our beneficiaries.”
Future plans: Reducing medical tourism
Looking to the future, Usman Sani Bello revealed plans for a standard hospital attached to the proposed Sani Bello University adding that while this facility will not be entirely free like the birthday outreach, it aims to localize high-quality diagnostics and treatment.
“We want to stop a situation where someone has to spend N100,000 on transport and fees just to do a N40,000 thyroid test in Minna. By bringing these facilities to Kontagora, we reduce the burden on the people,” he concluded.
