APSON Offers Free Surgeries for 150 Children with Lipoma, Cleft Lips, Others in Kwara

This initiative is part of APSON’s 23rd Annual Conference, themed “Quality Improvement in Surgical Care of Children,” with a sub-theme of “Transitional Care in Paediatrics Surgery.” The surgeries are being performed at the Aisha Buhari Mother and Child Hospital in Eiyenkonrin.

Prof. Lukman AbdulRaheem, the National Vice Chairman of APSON, highlighted that this outreach extends their ongoing community support efforts.

“We are offering free surgical services to give back to the community, aiming to assist 150 children,” AbdulRaheem said. He also noted that the surgeries, which will last a week, are complemented by an international training session on trauma resuscitation in children, organized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada.

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Prof. Nasir AbdulRasheed, a consultant paediatric surgeon at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), elaborated on the outreach’s focus.

“This initiative targets children with critical conditions who cannot afford necessary surgeries. Common conditions we are addressing include hernia and cleft lips, which can lead to severe complications if untreated,” AbdulRasheed explained.

APSON

Parents of the children who received surgery expressed their gratitude, with Abdullahi Abubakar, whose child benefited from the program, praising the timely intervention. “The surgery is costly, and we couldn’t afford it. This opportunity has been life-saving for us,” he remarked.

Additionally, the association is working on ensuring continuity of care for children transitioning into adulthood, particularly those with long-term surgical needs. “We aim to coordinate with other healthcare providers to maintain care for these children as they grow,” AbdulRasheed added.

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In other health initiatives, the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) and the state ministry of health have launched a free health insurance program for children with sickle cell disorder. This program is designed to ease the financial burden on families managing the high costs of sickle cell care.

Moreover, the Katsina State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, has procured ₦400 million worth of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to combat child malnutrition. With 7,000 cartons of RUTF secured under the Child Nutrition Match Fund, this effort addresses severe malnutrition among children, especially in a state where the cost of maintaining a healthy diet is relatively low, with an average daily expense of ₦739 for nutrition.

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