SOFPON provides free surgical intervention to 60 residents of Lagos

The Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) has conducted free surgical intervention for 60 residents of Lagos State to reduce morbidity and risk of death from common medical conditions.

Dr Sixtus Ozuomba, Chairman, SOFPON, Lagos chapter, said this during the association’s surgical outreach in celebration of the World Family Doctors Day on Saturday in Lagos.

The day celebrated annually on May 19 has as its theme: ‘Family Doctors: The Heart of Primary Care,’ emphasising the critical role of family doctors in delivering compassionate and patient-centred care to their patients.

Ozuomba noted that basic surgical procedures were among the most cost-effective health interventions that could prevent avoidable deaths, boost welfare and economic productivity.

He, however, said that poverty and affordability of surgical care was a huge challenge for many Nigerians, irrespective of the part of the country where they resided.

According to him, to bridge the gap of accessibility to surgical procedures, SOFPON organised free surgical intervention for lipoma, breast lump, ingrown toenail, ganglion, hernia and other day cases surgery.

He said that 60 people would benefit from the intervention which was held at Onikan General Hospital and General Hospital, Odan, Lagos.

Ozuomba said the surgeries funded from the dues and levies of SOFPON members was to complement the Lagos State Government’s efforts in ensuring qualitative healthcare for its citizens.

Speaking on the theme of the 2023 celebration, Ozuomba said that family physicians were reputed for providing comprehensive, continuous and coordinated healthcare to individuals, families and communities.

Ozuomba said that family doctors also advocated on behalf of their patients as they regarded government’s policies and actions.

“We have a lot of competent areas, what people have been saying is the medical aspects, we are not limited by disease entity, age or sex of the patients.

“Surgery is also an aspect of the competent areas of a family physician. We decided to showcase that this year and let people benefit from it.

“Some people that have been finding it difficult to get into the healthcare system are seizing the opportunity to come in,” he said.

He noted that brain drain was affecting all specialties of the health sector, especially the family doctors whom he said were in high demand due to their competence that cuts across specialties.

Similarly, Dr Oghide Oziegbe, Secretary of SOFPON, said the free surgical intervention would relieve many beneficiaries from pain and discomfort which they have had for years but could not treat due to paucity of funds.

Oziegbe noted that the beneficiaries had undergone free laboratory tests and assessments to assess their fitness for the surgery.

He noted that 40 per cent of the patients were booked for hernia surgery, while breast lumps took the other number followed by procedures for ganglion, lipoma and ingrown toenail.

Also, Dr Madewa Adebajo, Medical Director, Onikan General Hospital, said the surgical intervention had assisted to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries, advising residents to register for the Ilera Eko health insurance plan to ensure access to healthcare services.

He also appealed to healthcare personnel to shun brain-drain, saying that the state had improved its infrastructure and curriculum to encourage career progression.

Earlier, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, said the state was committed to providing quality and affordable healthcare services to residents, irrespective of their socio-economic status.

Abayomi said that Ilera Eko which connoted the well-being and health of all residents of Lagos state was created to achieve universal health coverage for Lagos residents.

He called on all residents to prioritize their health and buy into the Lagos State Health Scheme while commending SOFPON for its efforts in supporting the government to bridge access to quality medical care for citizens.