Over 10,000 patients have benefitted from the Col. Sani Bello Foundation free surgical operations in Niger State.
The former military administrator of Kano State and Founder of the Sani Bello Foundation, as part of activities to mark his 79th birthday, collaborated with Graceland Healthcare Development Foundation to carry out the annual free surgical festival where patients with fibroid, appendicitis, goitre, lumps, hernia, hydrocole and eye related diseases are treated free of charge.
Col Sani Bello, while speaking over the weekend, told journalists that “my greatest joy is to affect people’s lives positively, give back to society and to ensure that those who have illness that can be operated on are attended to freely.”
He further expressed appreciation by announcing the donation of N3 million each to some teachers who served at his private school for the last thirty years.
Col. Sani Bello who is also father of the Niger state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello while disclosing that the school was established with only two classrooms, but can now boast of many blocks of classrooms, added that “I have always wanted to own a school. Today the school is 40 years old”.
It should be noted that since the past editions and now over 10,000 persons have benefited. 859 persons treated in 2016 the figure increased to 924 persons in 2017, while in 2018 no fewer than 948 persons benefitted, in 2019 where the foundation had two batches 2,931 persons got treated, in 2020, a huge number of 2,301 benefitted. Earlier this year, 300 patients benefitted.
Also, the head of the Graceland Healthcare Development Foundation, Dr. John Kodo said that in conventional hospitals, most of the cases treated during the free health care festival will cost each of the patients between N50,000 and N500,000.
According to him, “majority of the beneficiaries have been living with the ailment for years due to paucity of funds”.
“So far in this 8th edition, we have conducted successful surgery on over 86 eye patients, given over 1,000 glasses to another set of persons. In the past editions, we have attended to over 450 patients and the numbers are still counting”.
In his remarks, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello described investment in the education sector as a lifelong achievement.
While speaking at the 40th anniversary of Mustapha Comprehensive School, Kontagora which coincided with the 79th birthday of his father, he assured parents and all Nigerlites of the sustainability of the educational system.
Chairman on the occasion and Emir of Yauri, Professor Mohammed Zayyanu Abdullahi described education as vital for every meaningful development.
He used the forum to advocate the improvement of nomadic education in the country.
The President, Mustapha Comprehensive School, Alhaji Usman Sani Bello said the School would continue to provide conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning as the school embarked on massive infrastructural development.
Highlights of the occasion was the cutting of anniversary cake, launching of school magazine, presentation of awards to best students and commissioning of two storey building of classrooms.