About 100 people in Osun benefit at the weekend benefitted from the free surgical mission of the IleriOluwa Medical and Surgical Outreach; an initiative of the Osun State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr Remi Omowaiye, as part of interventions to augment the state government’s monumental strides in the health sector and give succour to residents living with health challenges but who do not have the wherewithal to care for themselves.
The medical outreach carried out in collaboration with Gifty Organic Therapy and medical support from Hope Floats Initiatives as well as medical support from the Osun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu and CMD of Osun State University Teaching hospital, Osogbo was held at the State Specialist Hospital Ilesa, Osun State and was part of measures to spread the dividends of democracy to the nooks and crannies of the state and aid government’s efforts in giving easy access to medical care to people at the grassroots.
Speaking during the surgical mission on Saturday, Engr Omowaiye said the effort was mainly to complement what the government has been doing in the state He added: “yesterday was my birthday and I felt instead of throwing a party, let’s complement the effort of the government by sponsoring surgical mission and this is done in partnership with Gifty Organic Therapy and Hope floats initiative. There are a lot of people with health challenges that we can support. Also, the Governor Gboyega Oyetola administration has done a lot in the area of health, so we just felt instead of throwing a party, our personal intervention can further be a consolidation on government’s huge investment in the health sector.”
“The surgery covers four areas and over 100 people had been booked for surgery. We have about 40 children and 70 adults; male and female. It is a thing of joy that we are putting smiles on their faces. Beyond this surgery, there will be post-surgical treatments to monitor those patients. The beneficiaries are from all over the state, we cannot bring partisan politics into health issues. This is to commemorate my birthday. We have patients that the medical team removed lumps from their breasts, some have been tested carrying this challenge for a over a decade, but could not afford the cost of surgery,” he said.
The chairman of Hope floats initiative, Dr Simeon Afolayan, who led the team of surgeons and former Chief Medical Director of Osun State University Teaching hospital, Osogbo, Prof Femi Fadiora, explained that the surgical intervention covered cases that patients would not necessarily be admitted into the hospital over and commended the efforts of the sponsor, adding that the exercise was limited to cases such as hernia, breast lump, outer lumps and lipoma.
Professor Fadiora, who is a renowned surgeon, described the gesture of Engineer Omowaiye to sponsor the general surgery as worthy of emulation, noting that each of the beneficiaries would not have paid less than N200,000 while others could be as expensive as N400,000 in private health institutions.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mr. Mutiu Adepoju, whose son benefitted from the free surgery, appreciated Engr. Omowaiye for coming to their aid, adding that he was asked to pay N380, 000 for the same surgery in a private hospital and has resorted to fate until help came from God through the Commissioner.
Another beneficiary, Mr. Funminiyi Isadare noted that he would have had removed his herniotomy long ago if not for financial constraints, thanking the commissioner for the kind gesture.
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