A Saudi Arabian medical team has performed free urological surgeries on 52 patients in Kano State as part of a six-day specialised medical outreach at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).
The intervention, supported by the Government of Saudi Arabia and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, was aimed at providing specialised surgical treatment to patients who could not afford the cost of such procedures.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the exercise on Friday, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, commended the Saudi government and the medical team for the intervention, describing it as another demonstration of the growing healthcare partnership between Kano and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Yusuf said the latest outreach was the fourth time a Saudi medical team had provided specialised medical services in Kano, recalling that more than 2,300 residents benefited from free eye surgeries during a similar intervention in 2023.
The governor said the state government would continue to strengthen its partnership with Saudi Arabia to expand access to specialised healthcare services, particularly for residents who face financial barriers to treatment.
Ali Ibn Mahfouz, leader of the Saudi medical team and a urologist, said the specialists successfully carried out the required procedures, with no complications recorded among the patients treated during the exercise.
Yusuf also recalled the case of conjoined twins from Kano who were taken to Saudi Arabia in 2023 for specialised surgery and subsequently spent two years receiving medical care before returning to the state.
He disclosed that discussions were already underway towards the commencement of open-heart surgeries in Kano, describing the proposed service as another milestone in the state’s efforts to improve access to advanced medical treatment.
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The governor commended the management and staff of AKTH for their role in the successful conduct of the outreach and pledged continued government support for the hospital.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria and Khalil Ahmad, Consul General of Saudi Arabia in Kano, towards strengthening healthcare and bilateral relations between Kano and Saudi Arabia.
Yusuf said his administration would sustain investments in healthcare infrastructure, recruitment of medical personnel and expansion of access to specialised medical and surgical services across the state
