Nigerian Newsday

By Mu’azu Hardawa, Bauchi

Gamawa Local Government Council in Bauchi State has offered free treatment to over one hundred people, as part of an effort to assist poor people in the area, who are suffering from cataract and other related eye diseases.

The council chairman, Alhaji Babayo Mohammed Umar, revealed to Nigerian Newsday in an interview, that the beneficiaries came from 18 electoral wards to ensure even spread of the free medication exercise.

Babayo Umar said, the eye surgery was to remove the cataract through the inserting of artificial lens to maintain their sight.

He said over N500,000 is to be spent on the exercise while more medical assistance would be rendered to the people on ENID/NID exercise and drugs to dispensaries while building of health workers quarters, VIP toilets, generators and other health facilities would also be purchased by the council.

Babayo Umar also assured the people of the area that his council would continue to give attention to healthcare delivery system and advised the rural communities to patronise government hospitals.

He also assured that his administration was also looking into the welfare of the rural dwellers and would ever be ready to assist in tackling their health problems.

In another development, the Bauchi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board is poised to, conduct a successful 2006/2007 Hajj operation, the secretary of the Board, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Hardawa, announced to media gathering in his office last week.

According to Hardawa, out of the 18 airlines which submitted their applications to the Federal Government for airlifting of pilgrims to the holy land, only seven have been selected to carry out the exercise.

He said the 700 pilgrims from Bauchi State who were unable to make the pilgrimage last year would be given priority this year.