The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kwara Chapter, on Tuesday offered free surgical intervention and medical services to indigents at Ijara-Isin community in Isin Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking on the sidelines of the outreach, Dr Adedayo Aderibigbe, the state Deputy Chairman of NMA, said that 213 patients benefitted from the free medical consultations and laboratory investigations.
He said that 11 patients had general surgeries, while seven patients had cataract excision.
According to him, the medical interventions to Kwara rural communities is an annual event where members of the association reach out to the indigent as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility to the masses.
“For the past 20 years, the association has been traversing across rural Kwara communities to see how we can help indigent people with health challenges.
“We have been to various communities across Kwara-South and as time goes on, we hope to cover the whole communities across the state,” he said.
Aderibigbe said that Ijara-Isin is an agrarian community with many aged citizens.
He said that some of the common health challenges observed included hypertension, cataract, diabetes, malaria and hernia.
The state dupty chairman of NMA said that some of the surgical procedures that were performed include surgeries for cataracts and removal of lumps (herniorrhaphy).
He therefore called the people to always make out time for medical evaluation.
“Early detection of ailment can save lives,” he said.
Aderibigbe said that drugs and surgical consumables were donated to the health centre at Ijara-Isin for the use of residents in the community.
Dr Yusuf Abbas, one of the Surgeons on the outreach, said that some of the patients have been afflicted with ailments for the past 10 years and could not afford medical intervention.
He said that surgical procedure also covered children who had health challenges.
Abbas urged the government to partner with the association to reach as many communities as possible in order to assist them in their various health challenges.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Nasiru Gbadeyan, whose five-year-old son received surgical intervention, commended the doctors for their humanitarian gesture and for saving his son’s life.
“My son developed lump in the scrotum as a baby, and I could not afford the medical expenses,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the patients that require eye surgeries were given referrals to healthcare facility in Ilorin. (NAN)
