Association offers free treatment to 2000 patients in Sokoto
By Ismail Umar, Sokoto
No fewer than 2000 patients have received free treatment from a community development Association of Academicians and Medical Practitioners, ACAMEDICS in Yabo local government area of SokotoSstate.
The patients include those suffering from hypertension, diabetics, malaria, eye and dental problems among others.
The medical outreach was organised by the Association in Yabo in collaboration with Association of Resident Doctors, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) branch.
The President of Association of Resident Doctors, Sokoto Branch, Dr. Sufiyanu Umar, said 150 Doctors were participating in the outreach.
According to him, the 2-day exercise, involved surgery for 200 Hydrocele, hernia and appendix patients.
He explained that they would also operate on 70 persons that have eye problems.
He said the exercise was part of their end-of-the-year activities and expected to end within two days.
He further said the exercise was organised to assist less privileged especially at this trying time.
The Association of Resident Doctors President urged government to do more in improving healthcare delivery among communities as citizens were faced by one disease challenges or the other.
Also speaking, the Chairman local organising Committee for the outreach, Dr. Faruku Bande, noted that the exercise was also supported by the concern citizens of the local government which includes Teaching Staff of High Institutions and Medical Practitioners from the area.
He stated that the patients came from all nooks and crannies of Yabo as well as from the neighbouring local government areas.
He said the main aim of the outreach was to contribute their own quota to the development of healthcare to communities in the area.
He explained that the association observed that the exercise became necessary as people are suffering from diseases and could not afford to settle hospital bills.
Education Advice
Dr Bande however said the ACAMEDICS also offer educational advice to students seeking for admission into tertiary institutions.
He lamented that among the doctors attending to patients currently were part of those given advice to seek for medical courses at university level.
Dr Bande said that ACAMEDICS also coached their final year students, purchase JAMB and secure admission for them.
In his remarks, the Sole Administrator of Yabo local government, Bala Musa, who was represented by the Director Health in the area, Hassan Kamba, commended the organisers for the gesture.
He described the gesture as timely and urged other meaningful individuals to emulate them for the overall healthcare services delivery in the State.
The Director use the opportunity to call on all wealthy individuals across the State to emulate the gesture as provision of Health care services is a collective responsibility not only for government.
He also described the turn out as commendable, but called for cooperation of the beneficiaries for hitch free exercise.
Some of the beneficiaries that spoke thanked the organisers for the exercises
Confidence Okwuchi