Bauchi urges surgeons to expand rural services

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has urged paediatric surgeons to expand specialised healthcare services to underserved communities, particularly rural areas, to improve access to quality surgical care for children.

Mohammed made the call on Thursday, at the 25th Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria, held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi.

Represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Sani Dambam, the governor described children as one of the most vulnerable segments of the population, stressing the need to improve access to quality paediatric healthcare to safeguard their health, development and future opportunities.

He noted that paediatric surgery went beyond treating specific medical conditions, saying it was fundamentally about protecting children, preserving human potential and giving them the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives.

Mohammed said paediatric surgeons had a critical role to play in human capital development, particularly through early intervention and access to specialised surgical care.

He said conferences such as the APSON gathering provided an important platform for medical professionals to exchange knowledge, review emerging evidence, examine new technologies, strengthen professional competencies and develop solutions to challenges confronting paediatric surgical care in Nigeria.

The governor observed that the scientific sessions, research presentations and professional engagements at the conference should not be viewed merely as academic activities, but as important contributions towards strengthening the country’s healthcare system.

He stressed that his administration recognised the need for improved specialised healthcare through required strong collaboration among government institutions, professional associations, teaching hospitals, universities, development partners and the private sector.

Mohammed, thus, expressed the state’s readiness to support partnerships aimed at strengthening paediatric surgical services, improving supply systems, supporting specialist training, promoting research and expanding access to quality healthcare for children, particularly those in underserved rural communities.

He urged the participants to focus on strengthening health systems and primary healthcare mechanisms while expanding access to specialised paediatric surgical services across underserved communities.

The governor also called for sustainable models of specialist training, mentorship and professional development, as well as policies capable of addressing emerging challenges in paediatric healthcare.

He advocated improved access to affordable and cost-effective surgical interventions and stronger collaboration between tertiary institutions and lower levels of healthcare.

Mohammed urged the participants to explore appropriate technologies capable of improving surgical outcomes and reducing complications.

He said, “More importantly, I urge you to consider how the knowledge generated at this conference can reach children who live far away from major urban centres.

“The true measure of scientific advancement is not only what we discover, but how effectively those discoveries improve the lives of ordinary people.”

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Speaking earlier, the President of APSON, Prof. Roland Osuoji, said the association commenced its pre-conference activities about three weeks earlier with a medical and surgical outreach in Bauchi State.

He said another extensive outreach was subsequently conducted in collaboration with the management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

According to him, 1,537 patients were attended to during the outreach, while about 208 surgical operations, including complex procedures, were successfully performed.

Osuoji said the conference theme, “Advancing Paediatric Surgical Care in Nigeria: Innovation and Best Practices,” was carefully selected by the Local Organising Committee to reflect the need for continuous improvement in paediatric surgical services.

He pointed out that renowned experts had been assembled to share knowledge and deliberate on contemporary developments in the field.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Kefas Bwala, described the conference as a historic event for two major reasons.

He said it marked the Silver Jubilee of APSON, representing 25 years of excellence, training, research and service to Nigerian children.

Bwala added that the conference was significant because it was the first time the association was holding its annual conference in Bauchi State.

He insisted that the conference theme could not have come at a more appropriate time, stressing the need for stakeholders to reflect on the progress made over the past 25 years and chart new pathways through innovation, technology and evidence-based practices.

Bwala, who also maintained that the ultimate objective should be to ensure that no Nigerian child died from a surgically treatable condition, disclosed that, as part of the pre-conference activities, APSON conducted two free medical and surgical outreaches in communities across Bauchi State.

He highlighted, more than 1,000 patients were attended to, while 237 patients underwent free surgical procedures.

He added that the association also organised a two-day pre-conference workshop aimed at building the capacity of resident doctors and young consultants in line with global best practices.

“These outreaches are our modest contribution to reducing the burden of surgical disease in our host community and ensuring that the impact of APSON 2026 is felt beyond the walls of this conference hall,” he said.

Bwala appreciated the APSON National Executive for entrusting Bauchi with the hosting right of the 25th annual conference.