Health

The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) has commenced a free cataract surgery programme in Kano as part of events marking its 50th Annual National Conference. The exercise, which began on Sunday at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), is expected to provide surgery for 500 patients living with cataract, the leading cause of blindness in Nigeria. Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the conference, Dr. Umar Farouk Ibrahim, said 400 patients would undergo surgery at AKTH with support from the AMA Foundation, while another 100 would be treated at Murtala Muhammad Hospital in collaboration with Sight Booth Hospital, a private facility in Kano. Read Also: Over 100 Widows Receive Cash Support from Caleb Danladi Foundation in Kaduna “Cataract remains the number one cause of blindness in the country, but it is entirely curable through surgery,” Ibrahim said. “This programme is about restoring sight to those who need it most but cannot afford treatment.” Project Manager of AMA Foundation, Muhammad Nasir Musa, said the foundation supplied consumables for 450 surgeries and also provided facilities for screening minor eye conditions, distributing reading glasses, and offering free medications. He added that the Kaduna-based organisation has carried out similar interventions in nearly 26 states across the country. “This is our way of payback to society and supporting the less privileged,” Musa said, while urging wealthy individuals and organisations to emulate such initiatives. One of the beneficiaries, Zainab Umar from Takai Local Government Area, expressed appreciation. “The programme is free, we didn’t pay anything, and my eyes will be operated on,” she said. The OSN conference, hosted in Kano this year, also features medical outreaches, scientific sessions, and social activities aimed at strengthening ophthalmology practice in Nigeria. Photos:

In a renewed effort to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve child immunization coverage, stakeholders in Kano State have launched a focused campaign under the Nigeria Vaccination Coverage Project (VaxSocial), with support from Save the Children. The initiative was unveiled during a one-day workshop aimed at developing the Kano State Health and Immunization Budget Scorecard. Speaking during the workshop, Dr. Mariga Felicia, Project Manager of VaxSocial, said the project seeks to improve immunization uptake among under-five children, reduce preventable child deaths, and address the spread of misinformation. “Currently, data shows that Nigeria has over 36 million children under five years who are vulnerable to preventable diseases, many of which are vaccine preventable,” Dr. Mariga said. Related: Kano State Develops Strategic Communication Blueprint to Boost Maternal and Child Health She noted that religious beliefs, cultural norms, and false social media narratives have contributed significantly to vaccine resistance in many communities. “That is why social media will be a critical part of our engagement strategy. We must counter misinformation directly where it spreads online and amplify accurate, culturally sensitive information to the public,” she reiterated. The VaxSocial campaign targets 80% coverage of under-five children, girls and women at risk of cervical cancer, and “zero-dose” children, those who have never received any vaccines as well as those who started immunization but did not complete it. In Kano State, the pilot phase will cover six Local Government Areas, Ungoggo, Gezawa, Kumbotso, Dala, Nassarawa, and Kano Municipal. The project began in Lagos in June 2024, expanded to Kano in June 2025, and will run until November 2025. Read Also: Ganduje Foundation Pledges Continued Support for Humanitarian and Religious Outreach Also speaking at the workshop, Salisu Yusuf, Co-Chair of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the Zero Dose Boost Project in Kano, emphasized the importance of transparency, service delivery, and accountability. “This project is not just about vaccines; it’s about strengthening systems. As CSOs, we are active across all 44 LGAs in Kano even though this project officially targets only six. Our goal is to make awareness so that more families become aware and take action,” he stated. He further highlighted the importance of collaboration between Primary Health Care Centres, the Ministry of Health, the media, CSOs, and other stakeholders, calling for unified support to achieve wide-reaching results. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from across media platforms, CSOs, and representatives from the Save the Children team in Kano.