Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has said his administration will deepen investment in healthcare delivery as a free medical outreach conducted in collaboration with medical specialists from Germany treats more than 8,000 residents across the state’s three senatorial zones.
The outreach, launched at Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, is providing free medical consultations, surgeries, eye care and dental services, particularly to residents who cannot afford specialised treatment.

Mutfwang reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare through sustained investment in medical infrastructure, personnel and equipment, alongside international partnerships.
In a statement issued yesterday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Gyang Bere, the governor described the intervention as an opportunity to improve lives through the expertise of visiting medical specialists and the contributions of local health workers and volunteers.

“On behalf of the beneficiaries of this programme, I want to say a very big thank you to the entire medical team. This show of love that you have demonstrated, God will reward you abundantly,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the challenges facing the state’s healthcare system but expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded under his administration, pledging to sustain investment in the sector while balancing other development priorities.

He said his long-term ambition was to transform Plateau State into a destination for quality medical services.
“Our dream, our desire, our vision is to even make Plateau State a health tourism destination in Nigeria,” Mutfwang declared.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, said the outreach began on October 19 at designated health facilities in the Southern and Central senatorial zones before extending to the Northern zone on October 26.
He said the programme was initially expected to serve between 6,000 and 10,000 people but had already attended to more than 8,000 beneficiaries across the state as of the latest briefing.

According to Baamlong, more than 4,000 people had received medical attention in the Southern zone, about 3,000 in the Central zone and over 1,000 in the Northern zone.
He disclosed that the exercise had also facilitated approximately 360 surgical interventions across various specialties, including 19 Caesarean deliveries and about 260 cataract surgeries.

More than 1,500 pairs of eyeglasses had also been distributed to beneficiaries, while dental services continued at the various centres.
At the Jos centre, the commissioner said 146 tooth extractions had been performed within the period covered by the briefing. Patients were also being screened for specialised neurosurgical and orthopaedic procedures.

Baamlong said rural residents had particularly benefited from the intervention, with many travelling from their communities to access medical services that would otherwise be financially out of reach.
He commended nearly 200 health workers involved in the exercise, including those who volunteered their services, as well as supporting organisations such as the Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN).

The commissioner said the partnership with ICZ Germany had brought specialised medical expertise closer to underserved communities while creating opportunities to strengthen local healthcare delivery.
He added that the state government’s coordination and institutional support had enabled the visiting specialists and local medical personnel to provide immediate treatment while contributing to the broader objective of building a more accessible healthcare system.

Baamlong thanked the governor for sustaining investments in the health sector, saying the long-term goal was to improve health outcomes, reduce the financial burden of illness on families and position Plateau State as an emerging destination for medical services in Nigeria.