Not less than 2,700 rural dwellers in Bauchi and part of Jigawa states have benefited from the Federal Government’s free medical outreach, while 45 others have undergone various surgeries at no cost.

The outreach was jointly conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Bauchi State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

The intervention was championed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, to assuage the suffering of the vulnerable people in the country.

Residents of Itas/Gadau, Jama’are, and Dass local government areas in Bauchi State were seen trooping out to get tested and receiving medications, while critical conditions that required surgery were carried out free of charge. Neighbouring residents from Gawram in Jigawa State also benefited from the intervention.

Vice Chairman of NMA in Bauchi and Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr. Kabiru Mohammed Abdullahi, explained that the exercise targeted about 1,000 patients, including 50 general surgeries, all at no cost, across eleven local governments in Bauchi and Katagum zones, and part of Gawram Local Government in Jigawa State.

Abdullahi, the Zonal Coordinator of the Outreach, added that 886 people were seen at Itas/Gadau, 886 while 17 surgical operations were carried out. “The medical team included 45 personnel: 18 doctors, eight nurses, six pharmacists, four health records officers, four laboratory scientists, and five support staff.

“In Jama’are, 1,090 patients benefited from consultations, while 28 surgeries were conducted by a 47-member team comprising 19 doctors, eight nurses, seven pharmacists, four health records officers, four laboratory scientists, and five support staff.

“At Dass LGA, hosted at the Primary Health Centre in Liman Katagum, another 773 patients received care. A breakdown of services rendered includes: General Outpatient Department (GOPD): 151 males, 311 females, paediatric clinic: 98 males, 205 females, psychiatric clinic: three patients and gunshot injury clinic: eight patients,” he said.

Abdullahi further explained that the outreach was necessitated by the need to serve rural populations who could not afford basic healthcare due to economic constraints. Services provided included general consultations, diagnostics, prescriptions, and surgical interventions.

“We deployed over 20 outpatient doctors and 10 surgeons, along with a strong support team drawn from pharmacy, nursing, laboratory services, and medical records.

“The initiative is part of a broader national agenda to strengthen primary health care delivery and promote universal health coverage (UHC). It reinforces the federal government’s resolve to use community-driven strategies and stakeholder partnerships to reach Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations,” he said.