Zamfara state begins free VVF, cataracts treatment to residents

The Zamfara State Government has begun a special modified medical outreach aimed at addressing critical healthcare needs and improving the quality of life of the people.

In a press statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, it was revealed that during the medical outreach which started last Friday, 81 cases of eye cataracts and 49 cases of groin swellings were treated.

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The first phase of the project, which is in collaboration with the office of the First Lady, Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, is set to provide free medical services to people with cases of cataract extraction, groin swellings (hernia, hydroceles), Vesico Vaginal Fistula repairs and health education.

Idris noted that the programme was designed to cover 1,000 patients with groin swellings, 200 Vesico-Vaginal Fistula repairs and 1000 patients with eye cataracts, monthly.

“The Zamfara State Government set up a committee of experts that conducted assessments of various service centres in the state to identify the most common surgical problems prevalent in the general population.

“Based on its findings, the committee identified cataract extraction, groin swellings (hernia, hydroceles), Vesico-Vaginal Fistula repairs, and health education as the initial areas of intervention for the first year of the programme.

“This is the first of its kind in the history of Zamfara that the government is engaging in free medical outreach that covers such critical areas.

“The ongoing outreach utilises tele-screening for patients from rural and semi-urban areas to provide specialist care to the needy.

“A strategy has been adopted to allow patients to be screened remotely and receive treatment at designated treatment centres in Gusau.

“The committee also visited the Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency in Gusau and has confidence in its ability to provide the necessary supplies for the outreach programme.

“In his resolve to revive the health sector, Governor Dauda Lawal, widened the scope of the programme to cover all the 14 Local Government Areas of the state.

“The centres for the outreach are General Hospital Gusau, King Fahad General Hospital, and Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital.

“All special cases will be referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau,” the statement read.