The Adamawa government, in collaboration with the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has begun a three-day free medical and surgical outreach in Lamurde Local Government.
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Speaking on the exercise, the ‎NMA chairman, Badly Noel, said the programme was designed to target residents affected by recurring communal crises and to improve healthcare access in rural communities.
Mr ‎Noel said the outreach was fully supported by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s administration to extend specialist healthcare to rural areas.
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‎He said Lamurde was selected because recurring crises in the area exposed residents to healthcare challenges.
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‎Mr Noel said 55 doctors, nurses and other health professionals were mobilised for free consultations, laboratory tests, ultrasound scans and surgeries.
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‎The surgeries include fibroid removal, caesarean sections, hernia repairs and treatment of lumps and swellings.
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‎He said patients needing major interventions beyond the team’s capacity would be referred to tertiary facilities in Yola.
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‎Mr Noel said the team targets at least 3,000 beneficiaries from Lamurde and neighbouring communities, adding that it would extend to all 21 LGAs in the state.
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‎Personal physician to the governor, Williams Teru, said similar outreaches were held in Madagali, Michika, Maiha and Guyuk.
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‎Also speaking, Lamurde deputy chairman Agnes Jonathan commended the governor for bringing the intervention closer to the people.
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‎She urged residents to turn out in large numbers to access the free services.
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Some beneficiaries, Ruth Thomoso, Pwadadi Evans and David Solomon Ebolo, living with sickle cell anaemia, thanked the government for the intervention.
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They described it as a major relief, especially for residents who could not afford treatment and medications.
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‎They urged other leaders to emulate the initiative by supporting healthcare for vulnerable communities.
(NAN)