Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has reached out to 11,000 beneficiaries (residents) in Yobe State through his 2020 expanded medical outreach programme.
The breakdown of beneficiaries include: 5,000 patients with eye-related problem are expected to receive treatment, while 6,000 patients with hypertension, diabetes and among others will also benefit from the gesture.
The flag off of the event took place at the weekend at the General Hospital, Gashua and Federal Medical Centre in Nguru, Yobe North senatorial district, in the state.
The free medical services include eye treatment and surgery, free gynecological checkup and surgeries.
Others are free surgery for hernia, hydrocele, perianal tear, fibroid and uterine descent.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lawan said: “This medical outreach is in keeping with what we believe is important and a necessary intervention for our people who need either the surgeries or the general treatment to recover their sight or improve their sight.
“We started this in 2018 because we noticed that the people had those challenges at that time and yet majority of them didn’t have the means to receive any medical attention. And since I could afford it, I thought it was my duty to provide the means of some intervention. So we initiated this programme in 2018.
“In 2019, in addition to eye surgeries, we introduced hydrocele and we increased the number last year. This year we introduced more areas of intervention and also increase the number of patients or beneficiaries.
“We believe this is a worthwhile venture that will make people’s lives better. This intervention means a lot, and makes a lot of difference in the lives of many of them. And we are doing it to complement the efforts of the Yobe State Government.
The Chief Medical Director of FMC, Nguru, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad, gave an assurance that best care would be given the patients from the screening through surgery, and post-operative period, and would also follow them up till they are completely healed.
The Senate president used the opportunity of the three-day visit to his constituency to also flag off the construction of some township roads both in Gashua and Nguru.
Shortly before his departure yesterday, Lawal gave out some relief materials to victims of the recent flood that occurred in some parts of his constituency in Bade and Jakusko Local Government Areas.
To those communities whose houses were affected by the flood, 4,000 bags of cement, 480 bundles of zinc, 1,150 logs of timber and 160 bags of nails were distributed to them.
