Osinbajo lauds W’African surgeons over free surgeriesthe

TRACKING____Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has hailed the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) for embarking on free surgeries for thousands of Nigerians, saying that development reaffirmed his confidence in the nation’s capacity to tackle some of her challenges.

According to the Vice President, given the impressive performance and achievements recorded by Nigerians across diverse fields, at home and abroad, it is evident that many of the country’s problems can be solved by Nigerians themselves without recourse to foreign aid.

Speaking at the weekend when he received a delegation from the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), in his office, the VP expressed delight on the achievements of the college through the years.

The WACS delegation was led by Prof. Ibrahim Yakasai and came to brief the Vice President at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa about the activities of the College including its planned 60th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference scheduled for Abuja.

Prof Osinbajo, who spoke after listening to a brief on the achievements of the WACS, said: “I am glad to hear the good things that have been done by the college through the years.

“I believe that a lot of our problems, some of the aids that we need, can be provided by ourselves. We have the resources including human capacity to do it.” He thanked the delegation for the visit, assuring the College of the Federal Government’s continued support.”

Earlier in his remarks, the immediate past President of the College, Prof. King-David Yawe highlighted some of the achievements of WACS especially with regards to free medical outreaches to several Nigerian communities.

According to him while working with the Presidential Committee on North East (PCNE), the College conducted 9, 000 surgeries on 49,000 patients in the area with the insurgency in the region, adding that the body was currently conducting free medical outreaches in 14 hospitals across the FCT, some North Central States and Maiduguri.

He commended the Buhari administration’s support to the association in partly funding some of its activities and meeting its responsibilities especially in solving its 20-year-old problem regarding a request for land in the FCT.

While Yawe is the immediate past President of the College, Yakasai told the VP the current President is from Senegal, Prof Serigne Magueye Gueye.