Corps member sponsores free surgery
for 20 cataract patients in Bauchi
By Samuel Luka, Bauchi
No fewer than 20 cataract patients in Bauchi are to benefit from free surgery sponsored by a member of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Oluwasegun Isiaka as part of his Community Development Service (CDS) project.
Speaking during the commencement of the surgery at the state Specialist Hospital in Bauchi on Thursday, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Alhaji Namadi Abubakar, commended the corps member for the selfless service to humanity.
He called on Philanthropists and other well to do members of the state to encourage Corps members to execute Community Development Projects.
The State Coordinator said by encouraging the corps members, it would offer them the required morale in executing projects that would have direct and positive impacts on the lives of the people in their host communities.
Namadi Abubakar appealed to the beneficiaries and other citizens of the state to cooperate with the authorities in ensuring safety of life and properties of Corps members posted to their communities for the one year mandatory service.
In his address, the corps member who was posted to the state’s Specialist Hospital, said the project was to assist the indigents who had been diagnosed with cataracts but could not afford to pay for the surgery.
According to him, he has observed that a lot of cataract patients patronise unorthodox treatment (Aiki gargajiya) for the disease because they could not afford the surgery and most of them came back to his PPA (the Specialist Hospital) still blind.
The corps member with the state code BA/21B/1948 said, he was motivated to embark on the project to help save such patients regain sight as well as sensitize others on how and where to seek proper treatment.
Oluwasegun Isiaka further noted that the project was done to help those who can’t afford the surgery so that they will see and educate others in their respective domains about cataract and how to get proper treatment.
“This will prevent them from patronizing unorthodox treatment (aiki gargajiya) and also help convey the message as to the right treatment (cataract surgery) for others with the same condition”, he said.
The Corper who said 20 people were selected, out of which 11 are females, noted that the project was singlehandedly carried out by him at the rate of N620,500.
One of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of others, Malam Mohammed Mohammed from Duguri community of Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state, appreciated Isiaka for the kind gesture.
Mohammed who recalled that Oluwasegun Isiaka was among the corps members who attended to him during the NYSC medical outreach in his community last year, prayed Allah to reward him abundantly.
