A philanthropist in Sokoto, Alhaji Balarabe Goronyo on Saturday sponsored the free treatment of no fewer than 500 patients in the state.
The spokesman of the family, Alhaji Halliru Balarabe said the gesture was aimed at extending their widow’s mite to their neighbours, who are less-privileged
Balarabe said that more than 60 per cent of the residents of the targeted communities were facing various eye ailments, while the majority of them are less-privileged.
He appealed to the wealthy persons to emulate the Balarabe Goronyo family with a view to further reducing the eye ailments pandemic in the society.
He added that the one-day free medical outreach is aimed at alleviating the health challenges of the numerous residents in the area and other adjoining communities.
The Lead Surgeon of the medical team conducting the outreach, Mr Tanimu Muhammad said that the common ailments found at the exercise include conjunctivitis and cataract mostly caused by ageing as well as congenital reasons.
According to him, adequate drugs, medicaments and glasses have been stocked to be provided to the beneficiaries.
“In the same vein, arrangements have been made to refer cataract patients requiring surgeries to the State Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, while the costs would be borne by the sponsors,” he said.
While attributing most of the eye ailments to ageing, Muhammad lamented that some were caused by drugs abuse, especially steroids he stressed the need for regular medical check-ups by Nigerians.
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The Village Head of the area, Alhaji Muhammad Sodangi lauded the members of the family for the gesture and appealed to other wealthy individuals to emulate them.
A cross-section of the beneficiaries commended the family for the gesture and urged other privileged members of the society to routinely sponsor such free medical outreaches.
Those who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries include Alhaji Umaru Shehu, a 78-year-old Hajiya Kulu Biro and a student, Zayyanu Hassan.