The late Malam Balarabe Aliyu Goronyo’s Family Initiative in Kofar Bai, Sokoto metropolis, on Saturday sponsored a one-day free Medical Outreach for the treatment of no fewer than 500 hypertension and diabetes patients.
The gesture was conducted to further alleviate the sufferings of the less privileged persons in the state, especially the elderly and other vulnerable persons of 30 years old and above.
Speaking during the inauguration of the exercise, a spokesperson for the family, Alhaji Halliru Goronyo, said that arrangements were made to provide free drugs, medical advice and referrals for all the targetted beneficiaries.
According to him, the family will shoulder the costs of any referrals, including surgeries for other identified medical cases such as hernia.
Another member of the family, Aisha Zayyan-Aliyu, a JSS III student of Cavendish College, Kaduna, said: “I am really proud of my family for this wonderful initiative aimed at further alleviating the suffering of the less privileged persons in the society.”
The leader of the medical team conducting the exercise, Dr Zubairu Abubakar, stated that it consisted of Nurses, Hematologists and Laboratory Scientists.
“There are available drugs for all the targetted beneficiaries while the family will further pay for the treatment and surgeries of all referral cases.
“We have so far got some high malaria and two hernia cases,” he explained.
Alhaji Muhammad Bello-Sodangi, the Village Head of Shiyyar Galadiman Gari in Sokoto North local government area, commended the family for coming to the aid of the less privileged persons in the state through the initiative.
“I am, therefore, passionately appealing to other wealthy families and privileged members of the society to emulate this laudable initiative,” he said.
Also, Alhaji Muhammad Wakili, the Chairman, Sokoto State Chapter of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, and Secretary, Hajiya Rashida Shehu-Ambursa, commended the family for the gesture.
The association described diabetes and hypertension as global health challenges adding, “no effort aimed at reducing this formidable health burden is too much.”
It could be recalled that the family had in 2020 sponsored a free medical outreach which recorded no fewer than 700 persons with various eye ailments, including referrals and surgeries.
