By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

In continuation of its free medical outreach, the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Gombe State Branch, has conducted a free surgical operations for the less privileged patients in Gombe.

Speaking to newsmen during the surgery at its Medical Home off Dukku Motor Park along Dukku Road, Gombe, the chairman medical outreach committee Dr Danimoh Mustapha Abdussalam, said following the free medical outreach conducted by the association last week, some patients with surgical operations were identified for surgery this week.

Dr Mustapha said “13 patients were identified and recommended for the surgeries, but we are only abled to reach out to 10, out of which seven showed up for the surgeries”.

The chairman said as the outreach came to an end, the medical home will continue serving people of the state at subsidized rates, to enable the less privileged access healthcare services.

While advising members of the public to always attend to healthcare facilities for medical and surgical services, Dr Mustapha appealed to the state government to extend its medical insurance services to informal sectors, to touch lives of the most common man.

On his part, the surgeon who led the surgical operations Dr Bashir Musa Umar, said they attended to seven patients, six children and one elderly person.

He said “The operations are mainly Umbilical Hernia, Right Inguinal Hernia and Congenital Right Hydrocele, and henceforth, we will continue attending to patients on major surgical operations to all manner of people, regardless of social, religious, ethnic or political affiliations”.

Some parents of the attended patients, Hussaina Yahaya, mother to Abdulrashid Yahaya from Jekadafari, Sa’adatu Muhammad Chindo, mother to Muhammad Kabir Wakili, and Faɗimatu Yusuf from London Mai Ɗorawa appreciated IMAN for coming to their aid at this moment, praying for God Almighty to guide and reward them abundantly.

They said “We attended various health facilities for the surgeries, but lack of financial capacities made us unable to settle for the surgical bills”.

The beneficiaries encouraged other medical associations, groups and philanthropists to copy from IMAN Gombe State Branch.