At least 350 patients benefitted from free medical surgeries at Mother and Child Hospital in Makueni County, the President of the Surgical Society of Kenya Professor Paul Odula has said.
Prof. Odula said patients who were operated on were suffering from goiters, prostate cancer, chronic problems among other illnesses they have had for a long time.
The free medical camp that started on 21st to 25th October 2024, was organized by the Health Department in collaboration with the Surgical Society of Kenya, Rotary Club of Kenya and Neurosurgeon Association of Kenya to mention a few.
“We have operated on 200 patients suffering from various illnesses. Also, we have done 150 cataract surgeries,” said Odula while speaking to the media at the health facility on Saturday.
“Things we have observed is that we have very many patients with growth on the neck in this county. We have conducted 40 goita operations especially on women,” he added.
Consequently, the President blamed poor habits of people failing to seek medical treatment early either due to financial constraints or fear of ever leaving the theatre alive.
In this regard, he embraced upon the residents to seek early treatment in an effort to curb the spread of these sicknesses as they are treatable and manageable.
“People fail to seek medical attention early for fear of either not leaving the theatre alive or financial constraints. When sicknesses are detected early, they are treatable and manageable,” Odula posed.
On courses of goiter, he said the problem would be due to dietary in the foods people consume, be genetic or lack of iodine in the soils.
It was also discovered that many women in Makueni have low blood HB saying they lose blood during their monthly periods but nothing to replenish the same.
During the five days event, 1,000 people were screened for various illnesses from the county and neighbouring counties. There were 4 doctors from Tanzania, also doctors from Surgical Society and Neurosurgeon Association, Department of health and clinical officers who graced the occasion.
Prof. Odula said it was imperative for the county government of Makueni to conduct serious awareness in the county so that the masses are educated in an effort to overcome some of these challenges that are rampant in the county.
On his part, the President and Chairman of the Brain Tumour Association of Kenya Dr. Minda Okemwa said they saw 50 patients with brain tumour problems and conducted surgeries for two patients.
“Today two patients with big brain tumours have been operated on. People with brain tumours are shunned and sometimes don’t get enough treatment because of the costly nature of this treatment,” said Dr. Okemwa.
“In a private hospital in Nairobi, treating a simple brain tumor costs up to 1 million and it can escalate to 2 million if the tumour is cancerous,” he posed.
However, he disclosed that a bulky of brain tumours are not cancerous while saying anybody with a growth, epileptic, whose vision is decreasing or has persistent headaches this would be signs of brain tumour hence the need to seek medical attention early.
“What we are urging people when they detect any growth, don’t wait for it to be big, come to the hospital we are here to assist you. When you come early, chances of this growth being non-cancerous is high. But when you wait, it will be big and become malignant,” he observed.
“Courses of brain tumour are unknown, but the treatment is clear. However, some are inherited conditions that are genetic,” he said.
He urged county governments to have collaboration with Neurosurgeon of Kenya Association, pharmaceutical companies that can give drugs for treating people with brain tumour or those that are epileptic among others in combating tumours that are very expensive to treat.
By Patrick Nyakundi