No fewer than 50 women in Imo State have been operated free of any cost of fibroid and hernia, at the Saint Vincent De Paul Hospital, Ehime Mbano, Imo State. Other ailments operated include lipomas, breast lumps.
It was organized by Catholic Reverend Sisters in conjunction with Benjamin Olowojebutu Foundation which offers free medical missions across the nation from May 7th to 12th.
Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, Coordinator of the foundation said the team worked round the clock to attend to the teeming number of patients.
Olowojebutu said “most of the women had resorted to self helps using herbs to manage the pains of carrying huge mass of fibroid and for almost two decades. We are happy and fulfilled to have contributed to giving these women their lives back. No joy can compare to the sincere gratitude and joy these people have expressed”.
According to the revered Surgeon, though word had gone out almost a month before to announce the surgery, many women doubted the veracity of the procedure been totally free.
Olowojebutu said “How could a woman carry 12 kg mass of fibroid for 18 years, gulping assorted herbs and concoctions? Why would help be so far away even as she tried to raise funds to take out the mass? And then you wonder why would such a woman learn about a team coming to Imo on a medical mission and not believe that it is indeed for free? I guess it is a reflection of the society”.
He lamented that many patients had become bent over as a result of the mass of fibroid and hernia they bore, adding that such people were assisted by people to be able to move around.
According to him, it was not until the first set of patients were operated that the hospital was invaded by teeming patients. “One particularly strange thing about this mission is why someone would doubt that hernia, fibroid and lipoma that ordinarily would cost over N250,000 to remove depending on the hospital could be done for them for fee” said Dr. Ben Oluwojebutu of the Benjamin Olowojebutu Foundation.
Further, he said “even some of those who registered Dr Ben leaned did so with reservation. They thought it was a fluke. By the time the outreach started, the entire host hospital was filled with women carrying various sizes of lypoma and fibroid some for close to 20 years”.
He explained that the Surgeons had sacrificed their annual vacation to visit the State and perform the surgeries which he said has helped to save more lives and marriages. “Undoubtedly, they had more than enough compassion in the first place, at least to leave their families and loved ones and decide to sacrifice their annual leave for fellow Nigerians they may never get to see again in Ehime Mbano, a town more than 45 kilometers away from Owerri, Imo State”. Olowojebutu said.
The Saint Vincent De Paul Hospital, Ehime Mbano is a Catholic hospital run by Rev Sisters who are also medical missionaries, who he said could not turn down any patient from benefitting from the exercise.
According to him, the challenge experienced was the influx of patients who invaded the hospital seeking to benefit from the free medical mission. “Even when the sisters try to say No, the tears in the eyes of the patients , the pain they are going through finding expression through their voices won’t allow you turn them back. And don’t forget these are Revd Sisters, they are trained to be compassionate too” said Dr. Olowojebutu.
Dr Olowojebutu called on well meaning people to partner the foundation to provide treatment for women, noting that a healthy woman amounts to healthy families, adding that no amount is small.
