The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) has provided free cataract surgeries to 500 people in Kano State, on Sunday.
The surgeries, conducted at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Murtala Muhammad Specialists Hospital, were part of activities ahead of the society’s 50th Annual General Meeting scheduled to hold in Kano next week.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, explained that 400 surgeries were carried out at AKTH with support from the AMA Foundation, while 100 were done at Murtala Muhammad Specialists Hospital, sponsored by Sight Boost Hospital.
He said the outreach specifically targeted underprivileged patients and was part of the association’s corporate social responsibility. According to him, cataract is a major cause of curable blindness in Nigeria and across the world.
Beneficiaries were selected through organisations that already had records of patients suffering from the condition. In addition to surgery, some patients also received medical glasses and drugs to improve their vision.
Ibrahim urged beneficiaries to strictly follow medical advice after the surgery to avoid complications.
He further disclosed that the upcoming national conference, which will be hosted in Kano for the first time, will include subspecialty sessions, scientific discussions, and lectures from internationally renowned ophthalmologists.
One of the beneficiaries, Salisu Shu’aibu Kachako, expressed gratitude to OSN and appealed to other organisations to undertake similar initiatives.
