Inside Kano’s Makkah Eye Hospital
The Makkah Eye Hospital, Kano was established in 2004 by Al-Basar International, a Saudi Arabia-based charity organisation. With the mandate to prevent and cure blindness in Africa and Asia, it has 30 hospitals spread across Nigeria, Niger Republic, Yemen, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sudan. Our correspondent who visited the hospital in Kano reports that it is living up to its mandate. From Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Kano
For three years, Mr. Gideon Chike battled with an eye ailment until he visited the Makkah Eye Hospital in Kano State, where he underwent surgery. He came to the hospital all the way from Delta State.
The 31-year-old businessman told Daily Trust on Sunday that his friend, Emmanuel Okanayo, who lives in Kano, recommended the hospital for him.
“To be honest with you, I never imagined that I could see a well equipped hospital in Kano like Makkah until Emmanuel convinced me to come here. In fact, it took me some days, thinking whether to come to the hospital or not. That was because I was not sure the hospital had good doctors to treat my ailment, let alone having modern and sophisticated equipment.
“I am happy to tell you that my sight was restored within two days. I can see everything clearly like every human being. It was a fantastic operation. The hospital is highly equipped with modern facilities,” he said.
Malam Bature Isma’ila Tamburawar-Gabas is another patient in the hospital who hails from Warawa Local Government Area of Kano. The 70-year-old farmer told Daily Trust on Sunday that he had battled an eye ailment for almost four years.
Thanking the management of the hospital for their kind gesture and treating him at a low cost, Tamburawar-Gabas said, “I regained my sight at Makkah Hospital with only N37, 400. Prior to the operation, I could not see with my left eye, but now, I can see very well with both eyes. The hospital is really bringing succour to our people, especially the less privileged.”
The Kano State branch of Makkah Hospital was established in August 2004 by a Saudi Arabiabased charity foundation, Al-Basar International, with a view to helping people that are battling with eye problems, especially the less privileged.
The Foundation is also working towards the prevention of blindness in Asia and Africa. It has 30 hospitals spread across the globe, including Yemen, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sudan, Nigeria and Niger Republic.
The Al-Basar Foundation started its activities in Nigeria with an outreach programme known as Mobile Eye Surgical Camp in 1994 before it finally established Makkah Hospital in the state in 2004. In 2009, the Foundation established two more branches in Bauchi State in Nigeria and Maradi in Niger Republic respectively.
While the Kano branch was located along the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) Road, the Bauchi and Maradi branches were located at Kobi Street, old Ministry of Works, Bauch and SG.R006, Rue Mamman Sani Sabon-Gari Maradi, Niger Republic.
The hospital is meant to provide all types of outpatient and inpatient services at affordable charges. Interestingly, the Makkah Hospital, Kano is affiliated to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) for research and training in various fields of ophthalmology, with different departments.
Our correspondent gathered that all the three branches of Makkah Hospital in both Nigeria and Niger Republic conduct various major surgical operations, in addition to laser procedures and minor surgeries.
According to statistics from the hospital obtained by our correspondent, the three hospitals had, in 2014, treated a total of 122,409 patients while 10,073 others underwent surgical operations. The breakdown of the figures showed that the Kano branch treated 87,431 patients while 7,100 others underwent operations. In Bauchi, 23,182 patients were treated and 1,618 others operated upon. The Maradi branch of the hospital also treated 11,796 patients and operated 1,655 others during the period under review.
Daily Trust on Sunday also gathered that in 2016, a total of 80,587 people with eye-related ailments were treated in Makkah Hospital, Kano branch and 5,708 others were operated upon. Also, 21, 034 patients were treated and 1,109 others operated upon in the Bauchi branch while in Maradi, 11,674 were treated and 1,158 others underwent operation.
According to the medical director of the Makkah Eye Hospital, Kano, Dr Azmat Shah, in addition to services being rendered at the three branches in Nigeria and Niger Republic, the Al-Basar Foundation also maintained its free Mobile Eye Surgical Camp programme in Nigeria.
Shah explained that in 2015, the Foundation conducted four medical out-reach programmes in Kano, Ibadan, Bauchi and Katsina states. He said that in October 15, 2015, a total of 3,085 people were treated in Kano, 434 operated upon and 500 others issued with glasses.
“In November 29, 2015; 5,785 patients were treated, 386 others operated upon and 500 issued with glasses in Bauchi. The Foundation also treated 6,430 patients, operated on 466 and issued glasses to 500 others in Ibadan between August 31 and September 7, 2015. In Katsina State, 4,180 patients were treated, 386 underwent operation and 500 received eye glasses during a medical outreach held between December 22 and 28, 2015,” he said.
The medical director added that a similar programme was conducted in Touha, Zinder and Dosso in Niger Republic in March, April, May and November, 2015. He said a total of 4,895 patients were treated in Touha, 412 operated upon and 500 others received eye glasses.
He pointed out that in Zinder, 4,895 patients were treated, 414 others underwent operation and 500 were issued with glasses, while in Dosso, 7,145 patients were treated, 815 operated upon and 1,000 others got eye glasses during the two medical outreach programmes conducted from April 26 to May 2 and 19, and November 24, 2015 respectively.
The chairman of Friends of Makkah Eye Hospital Association, Major- General Garba Ali Mohammed (retired), described the hospital as a blessing to the less privileged, especially those battling with one eye ailment or another. He noted that although the hospital is being manned with charity funds, it renders more quality services than many government-owned hospitals in the state.
“The services the hospital is rendering are better than what many government-owned and private hospitals across the country are offering. In addition to quality services, the charges in the hospital are also affordable when compared with other health facilities,’’ General Mohammed said.
He, however, said he was disturbed by the attitude of Nigerians towards the hospital, especially wealthy individuals. He noted that Nigerians were not willing to support the hospital despite its contributions to the lives of people, particularly the less privileged.
“The most disheartening thing is that wealthy individuals among us are not willing to help the hospital. It is being run with charity funds and we have wealthy people in the country; but unfortunately, they are not donating to the hospital to keep it moving. Our association has written several letters to governors and individuals, seeking for donations, but up till this moment, not a single governor or wealthy individual has approached us with a dime in the name of donation.
“This is very sad and unfortunate. If some people from faraway Saudi Arabia would come down to Kano and establish this kind of hospital and continue to run it on charity, just to help us, I think it would be shameful to our government at various levels and wealthy individuals to ignore the hospital. We must wake up from our slumber and donate to this important edifice.
“If our governors could have time to visit this hospital and see for themselves, the number of people benefiting from the gesture, I am sure they will not mind to include the facility in their annual budget. So, I am appealing to our governors and wealthy individuals to come forward and donate to the hospital. No amount of money will be too much to invest in this kind of programme because it targets the right people,” Mohammed concluded.