ARSPON Brings Hope as Over 100 Oyo Residents Benefit from Free Surgeries

The Association of Rural Surgical Practitioners of Nigeria (ARSPON) recently conducted a three-day free surgical outreach in Okeho town, Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State, providing critical interventions to more than 100 residents who otherwise would have struggled to access care. The initiative covered hernia repairs, lump removals and other procedures performed at no cost to patients.

A team of surgeons and support staff operated at Wuraola Hospital, Okeho, between November 8 and 10. Beneficiaries included both adults and children, many of whom had lived with unresolved conditions for years. In addition to surgeries, the outreach included health-talks and educational sessions aimed at building awareness around preventable surgical conditions and up-skilling local surgical practitioners.

Dr. G.S. Ogunsina, ARSPON State Coordinator, said the association is committed to serving underserved areas and has set an ambitious target to reach 100,000 indigent Nigerians in need of surgery over the next five years. He emphasised that access to surgical care remains a critical but often-neglected part of health systems in rural Nigeria, and that interventions like this one help bridge the gap between need and service.

At the closing of the outreach, Afolabi Salimonu, the former chairman of Kajola Local Government Area, commended ARSPON’s efforts, urging members to maintain momentum and to monitor outcomes among beneficiaries to ensure sustainable impact and avoid repeat interventions. He also called on local, state and federal authorities to strengthen rural health infrastructure and support partnerships that bring such services closer to communities.

Community leaders and the beneficiaries expressed profound gratitude. One beneficiary, who had lived with an untreated hernia due to financial constraint, remarked: “Today I walk without pain and without fear of the operation I could never afford.” Others echoed relief and congratulations on the effective services delivered so efficiently.

This outreach forms part of a wider push to improve rural healthcare delivery in Oyo State. With rural communities often facing tremendous barriers—cost, logistics, awareness—the event highlights the importance of targeted interventions and collaboration between professional associations, healthcare providers and local governments.