97-year-old man living with hernia for 45 years finally gets free surgery from Sen Yaroe
By Mohammed Ismail
A 97-year-old man who endured the pain and discomfort of hernia for 45 years has received a new lease of life following a successful free surgery conducted by the Binos Mobile Hospital in Lafiya community, Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The elderly man, Malam Ibrahim Usman, was among 2,444 patients who benefited from a free medical outreach organised by Senator (Rev.) Binos Dauda Yaroe as part of his commitment to improve access to healthcare across the nine local government areas of Adamawa Southern Senatorial District.
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The outreach, held on Saturday at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Lafiya-Waja, attracted hundreds of residents from Lafiya and neighbouring rural communities, many of whom had endured years of illnesses without access to proper medical attention because of financial constraints.
For several beneficiaries, the intervention was more than a medical exercise. It offered relief from years of pain, renewed hope and an opportunity to return to normal living without the burden of unaffordable hospital bills.
Usman, who had lived with hernia for nearly half a century, expressed overwhelming gratitude after undergoing a successful operation by the medical team.
Recounting his experience, the 97-year-old man said he had almost resigned himself to living with the condition for the rest of his life.
“I lack words to thank Senator Binos for giving me another chance to live healthily. At my age, I thought I would go to my grave with this disease. But this man, whom I regard as sent by God, has operated on me free of charge,” he said.
Another beneficiary, 54-year-old Mrs Salome Thomas, also described her treatment as a major turning point after struggling with a medical condition for more than 15 years.
She said her search for treatment had taken her to several hospitals, but the cost of surgery remained beyond her family’s financial capacity.
According to her, a hospital in Gombe State had demanded N700,000 for the operation, forcing her to abandon the treatment and return home.
“Today, Senator Binos has treated me free of charge. I cannot thank him enough. My prayers have finally been answered,” she said.
Similarly, 63-year-old Abdullahi Mohammed, who had reportedly suffered from a condition described as ‘lipoma’ for more than 20 years, underwent free surgery at the outreach.
He expressed happiness that he could finally receive the treatment he had long desired without worrying about the cost.
Mohammed said he had been encouraged when he heard that the senator’s mobile hospital was coming to the community.
“I knew my time had come to get cured, and it has happened. The medical personnel operated on me successfully, and I am feeling better. I will soon be able to walk home on my own,” he said.
The intervention also brought relief to 71-year-old Malama Salamatu Adamu, whose 12-year-old grandson, Sadiq, underwent successful surgery for hernia after battling the condition for about seven years.
She said the family had been unable to afford the cost of treatment until the mobile hospital arrived in Lafiya.
Her excitement was evident as she recounted how the medical team had given her grandson another opportunity to live a healthier life.
“Sadiq has suffered from hernia for about seven years. We did not have the money to take him to the hospital. But God sent Senator Binos to our aid, and the surgery was successful,” she said.
Speaking after inspecting the medical activities, Senator Yaroe said he remained committed to delivering essential services to his constituents rather than allowing political activities to distract him from his responsibilities.
He explained that healthcare was a fundamental component of human development, adding that the decision to sustain the free medical outreach was informed by the need to make quality medical services accessible to people in rural communities.
According to him, the initiative complements his other constituency interventions, including empowerment programmes, industrial boreholes and other development projects.
“I cannot be distracted by political campaigns. I have a mandate, and it is to provide essential democratic dividends for my people.
“Beyond our empowerment programmes, provision of industrial boreholes and other people-oriented projects, I realised the need to continue providing free medical services because health is fundamental.
“We cannot just come here to fill people’s ears with speeches and promises. We want them to see, feel and experience the impact of our interventions. Our campaign goes with action,” the senator said.
Yaroe recalled that previous medical outreaches had been conducted in Gyawana and Lamurde town, adding that Lafiya was among the communities benefiting from the initiative.
On the political situation within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the senator expressed confidence that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would eventually appear on the ballot as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
He argued that the Federal High Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership dispute was subject to appeal and expressed optimism that the Court of Appeal would reverse the decision.
He maintained that ADC candidates would participate in the forthcoming elections, saying the party remained focused on its political activities.
Earlier, the leader of the Binos Medical Team, Dr Jama Medan, disclosed that 2,444 patients received medical attention during the exercise, while 34 surgeries were successfully performed.
Medan described the Lafiya outreach as particularly significant because of its focus on reaching underserved and hard-to-access communities where many residents struggle to obtain essential healthcare services.
He commended the senator for sustaining the intervention and urged residents of Lamurde to support his return to the Senate under the ADC platform in 2027.
In her remarks, the Facility Manager of the Primary Healthcare Centre, Lafiya-Waja, Mrs Tereza B. Abalis, praised the medical team for its professionalism and the quality of services delivered.
She described the exercise as an exceptional intervention in the history of the health facility and assured the senator of the community’s support.
