Improve access to neurological services – Aisha Buhari charges Neurosurgeons

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has called on neurosurgeons to consider forging innovative partnerships with the aim of establishing state-of-the-art centers for the management of neurosurgical disorders. This, she said, will improve access to highly specialized services for people in need. She was speaking through the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, during a Gala Dinner of the 3rd Congress of the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (CAANS) in Abuja on Wednesday, 26^th July, 2018.

Mrs. Buhari expressed the hope that neurosurgical services and skills will continue to improve in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, for the benefit of patients, in this regard, she urged the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies to continue its support for African neurosurgeons.

“I am passionate about the health and wellbeing of our children and I know the crucial role that neurosurgeons play in addressing the needs of children born with abnormalities of the nervous system; thus helping them to better cope with the future.” She said, adding that “In order to reduce the pain of affected families, I recently sponsored the surgeries of eight little patients with hydrocephalus and spina bifida at the Aminu Kano Teaching hospital through the Future Assured Programme under the Aisha Buhari Foundation. Training was also conducted last month with the objective of enlightening teachers and caregivers across the country on the various new methods of assisting these special children and helping them optimize the opportunities placed before them.”

In welcome remarks, Prof. Gail Rosseau, a member of the Board of World Federation of Neurological Societies recognized the effort of CAANS and called on members to continue to make a difference. She said health care is a uniting factor around the world because diseases do not show any favoritism or preference for race or culture and called for concerted effort to do more for neurological patients.

Highlight of the event was the award of Honourary President to two distinguished African neurosurgeons by Mrs. Osinbajo. They were Professor Graham Fieggen from South Africa and Professor Sidi Said from Algeria, both past President of CAANS.  The award, according to Prof. Raji Mahmoud, Secretary-General of CAANS, is in recognition of their exemplary services to Neurosurgery.