94 Nigerians benefit from free N200m treatments in Abuja

No fewer than 94 Nigerians have benefitted from 160 surgical operations conducted by the Sekinah Medical Outreach (SMO) at the National Hospital Abuja. The six-day treatment operations, which began on February 15, were carried out in collaboration with Medics Across Continents (MAC). Chairman of SMO, Dr Salman Yusuf, at the formal closing ceremony on Friday […]

No fewer than 94 Nigerians have benefitted from 160 surgical operations conducted by the Sekinah Medical Outreach (SMO) at the National Hospital Abuja.

The six-day treatment operations, which began on February 15, were carried out in collaboration with Medics Across Continents (MAC).

Chairman of SMO, Dr Salman Yusuf, at the formal closing ceremony on Friday in Abuja, said his organisation was committed to providing compassionate care to the less privileged.

He said that the organisation’s mission is based on the belief that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of socio-economic background.

He said that the initiative aligned with the Islamic value of indiscriminate mercy, emphasising that all lives must be cared for.

“Over the years, we have treated over 13,000 individuals and invested more than N150m in life-saving interventions.

“With a mission rooted in compassion, we focus on offering healthcare to those who need it most, especially in low-resource areas,” Yusuf said.

He noted the invaluable contribution of MAC experts, who came from outside the country, including from United Kingdom, Pakistan and others, who shared their skills and knowledge with the team during the six-day outreach.

“This knowledge transfer has strengthened our capacity and fostered a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning.

“I am pleased to report that our combined team, supported by the National Hospital Abuja, successfully treated 94 patients, with some requiring multiple surgeries, leading to over 100 surgical interventions,” he said.

He also said that most of the procedures were minimally invasive and included surgeries performed for the first time in the National Hospital’s history.

Also, the Chairman of MAC-UK, Prof. Matin Sheriff, lauded the opportunity to carry out various surgical operations on Nigerians.

He explained that MAC was established in 2016, with a mission to save lives through quality medical interventions.

Also, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of National Hospital, Abuja, said the success of the surgeries resulted from the dedicated efforts of the UK medical team.

He commended the team for donating some of the equipment used during the operations to the National Hospital Abuja.

Some of the surgeries carried out include Transurethral resection of the prostate, Paparoscopic cholecystectomy, Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL), laparoscopic and open varicocelectomy, endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery; and Herniorrhaphy, excision biopsies, prostate, hernia, kidney stone and among others.

He said that many of these surgeries had never been performed in the history of the National Hospital. Your generosity has set a milestone and left a lasting impact.

The vice chairman, SMO, Prof. A’isha Ahmed Abubakar, had before the treatments said that the SMO and MAC, in collaboration with the National Hospital Abuja (NHA) have committed N200m (£100,000)  to the intervention.

“Since our inception in 2009 as part of the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) and our subsequent incorporation as a separate entity in 2017, Sakinah Medical Outreach has emerged to be the leading Muslim medical charity organisation in the country, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bridge the healthcare gap.