The King Salman Humanitarian Relief and Aid Centre, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with Albasar International Foundation (Makkah Specialist Eye Hospital), has offered free glaucoma, cataract and other eye surgeries to 1,818 patients in Kano and Bauchi states.
The free eye surgeries are part of the effort of the foundation and the centre towards the control of blindness in Nigeria and across the world through humanitarian aid and relief in the health sector.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the surgeries in the hospital premises in Kano, the Regional Supervisor and BOT Member, Head Office of Albasar International Foundation, Dr Ziyad El-Suwaidan, said the two bodies are known for their humanitarian services through providing affordable and accessible eye health care services in both primary and secondary levels.
Albasar International Foundation is a non-governmental charitable organisation working for the prevention of blindness, with particular emphasis on Africa and Asia. Established in 1990, Albasar International Foundation operates in three ways; free Mobile Eye Camps, establishment of specialised eye hospitals, and training institutes.
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Through the eye camps, which are usually co-sponsored by a donor/sponsor and the foundation, medical eye services are brought to the doorsteps of patients who may not afford to come to the specialised eye hospitals.
During such eye camps, which may be major or minor, medical services, including screening, the issuance of drugs and optical glasses, as well as surgeries, are rendered by the foundation’s mobile medical team.
Based on statistics made available to the Daily Trust, from 1994 to 2023, a total of 118 free eye camps were conducted in Nigeria, during which 673,068 patients were screened; 51,138 surgeries were carried out; and 108,346 patients were issued with optical glasses.
Also speaking, the Consul General of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Mr Khalil Ahmad Al-Adamawy, appreciated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the great humanitarian aid and also appreciated the Kano State Government for supporting the programme.
“These humanitarian activities are part of an expression of the feelings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the noble direction of the Custodian of the two Holy Sites, King Salman Bn Abdel Azeez and His Highness the Crown Prince, towards its pioneering role of supporting communities across the world.
“The importance of this culminates in the impact of these surgeries in offering a chance for these patients who cannot afford the cost of these eye surgeries to regain their sights and become free of the vicious cycle that visual impairment creates around them.”
Similarly, the head of Free Surgery in the hospital, Abdulrahman Yushau Adam, said the programme comprises “seven to eight different eye diseases, including glaucoma, retina, and cataract, among others.”
On his part, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, commended the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and the Albasar International Foundation for choosing Kano for the programme, adding that the Makkah Specialist Eye Hospital under the foundation, has for many years, served Kano and its entire populace with quality eye health care services.
Represented by the Managing Director of REMASAB, Alhaji Ahmadu Haruna Zago, the governor said, “We already have an existing relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on so many developmental projects. We have on health, water and other things. That is why we are here today to commission this great initiative of providing free surgeries to over 1,800 people. We are very grateful to them.”
Some of the patients interviewed expressed gratitude to the centre and the foundation for the kind intervention.
“I just got the information from some people, and I went to the hospital. They took my name, and here I am, the surgery is successfully done. Even now, I feel entirely different. I have been battling with the disease for nine years now because I don’t have the means to take care of myself. But now they did it for free for all of us. We can’t thank them enough,” one of the beneficiaries, Ismaila Saidu, said after the surgery.
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