By Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

Hundreds of residents, primarily women, have benefited from a week-long free medical care initiative in Edo State, which provided treatment for various surgical conditions including fibroids and hernias.

The program was organized by the Paddy Emmanuel Foundation, which has previously conducted similar exercises in Delta State, reaching over 3,000 people over the past ten years.

Speaking at Primedews Hospital in Amagba, Benin City, where the surgeries took place, the Director-General of the foundation, Zion Oshiobugie, explained that this is the first edition held in Edo State. He noted that the initiative was launched to coincide with the birthday of the foundation’s founder, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, which falls on November 30.

“This program, which takes place annually for one week, is motivated by love for humanity and aligns with our foundation’s motto, ‘Touching Lives,’” Oshiobugie said.

The foundation partnered with Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu and a 24-member surgical team from Lagos to perform the procedures. Dr. Olowojebutu said the initiative provides life-changing surgeries for the less privileged, including treatments for fibroids, hernias, lipomas, breast lumps, and other conditions.

“We focus on the less privileged because it allows us to give back to society. Each year, we hear testimonies of the positive impact these surgeries have on people’s lives,” he said.

Dr. Iyamu emphasized that the initiative is a humanitarian effort aimed at supporting vulnerable individuals and is not politically motivated. “Some patients have never had the means to afford medical care. The program is about making a meaningful impact on society,” he said.

Reflecting on the program’s ten-year history, Dr. Iyamu recounted cases of patients who have experienced life-changing outcomes, including women who can now conceive after fibroid removal and men who received long-delayed surgical care. He highlighted the emotional and social relief the program brings to beneficiaries and their families.