Sokoto Provides Free Surgeries for Patients

No fewer than 50 patients with severe facial and neck deformities have successfully undergone free complex reconstructive surgeries at the Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto, during a week-long medical mission that concluded on Friday.

The life-changing intervention was spearheaded by the Kindred Health Surgical Foundation in collaboration with the Noma Children’s Hospital. The initiative specifically targeted indigent patients who could not afford procedures that typically cost between ₦350,000 and ₦500,000.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi Bello, described the programme as a lifeline.

“Some of these surgeries are very expensive. In other hospitals, patients could be asked to pay between ₦300,000 and ₦400,000. But here, they got it done free of charge without spending a penny,” he said.

While the hospital provided operating theatres, wards, and laboratory support, the foundation covered the cost of surgery, medical personnel, and post-operative care. Most of the beneficiaries were children affected by Noma, a devastating disease that destroys facial tissues and often leaves victims stigmatised.

Professor Jacob Ndas Legbo, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital and leader of the medical team, said the mission aimed to treat 30–50 patients within the week.

“The foundation focuses on three things: training young surgeons, providing surgical equipment, and supporting indigent patients,” he explained, noting that the Sokoto mission concentrated on ENT, maxillofacial, and reconstructive surgeries.

Legbo added that the foundation, established in 2023 in partnership with American ENT surgeon Dr. Dave Shaye of Project Life, intends to make such humanitarian interventions more frequent.

“This is just the beginning. With the support we have, we hope to mount interventions like this more often so hospitals can treat patients who cannot afford the cost of care,” he said.

The Sokoto State Ministry of Health, led by Commissioner Dr. Faruk, also supported the programme, which drew patients from both within and outside the state.

For the 50 beneficiaries, the surgeries represent far more than medical procedures — they mark a chance at new lives, free from pain, stigma, and social exclusion.