By Michael Ofulue
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No fewer than 13 inmates of Olokuta Medium Prisons in Akure have benefited from the free medical surgery embarked upon by the Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS).
The spokesman of the Prisons Service in the State,Barr Babatunde Ogundare disclosed this to The Hope in an interview during the week
He said the gesture is one of the achievements recorded in the area of healthcare services by the Nigeria Prisons Service in the state.
Ogundare said the surgery was carried out by a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Victoria Foundation in conjunction with the Prisons Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) who also functions as a non governmental organization saddled with the responsibility of overseeing welfare of prisons inmates across the nation.
He stated that the free medical surgery was carried out at St David hospital located at Yemi Ajibade street in Akure, the state capital by Dr Adegboyega Aderoye and assisted by medical team of Nigeria prisons service led by Dr Ogunsuyi Ilesanmi who also is in charge of medical services of the state prison’s command.
He said Dr Odetola , the Cheif Medical Director of the hospital is a member of Prisons Fellowship of Nigeria and has been supportive to the crusade of taking good care of inmates awaiting trial in various prisons in the state.
Those operated upon, according to the prisons PRO were those inmates suffering from Inguinal scrotal Hernia and out the 13 beneficiaries, 2 have just finished serving their jail terms and have consequently regained their freedom and re-unite with their families.
According to him, the owner of Victoria Foundation, Dr Aderoye while performing the surgery said his decision to have an NGO was spurred by his late mother whose name he used for the foundation for dying as a result of inability to have medical services before her demise adding that the foundation have also carried out similar free medical surgical operation on about 5 inmates at Osun State Command of the Nigeria Prisons.
Ogundare who appreciated the efforts of Dr. Aderoye whom he said has returned to his base in the United States of America said all the inmates who benefited from the free medical surgery are of good and sound health just as he thanked the officer in charge of prisons in the State ,Dr Ilesanmi, his team who supported Dr. Aderoye during the period the operation lasted.
While saying the command under the leadership of Comptroller Suanu Kinane is committed to ensuring that inmates in the state get the best medical services, he hinted that they are still presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by a competent court of jurisdiction.
Dr Ogunsuyi Ilesanmi said the surgery would have cost about One hundred thousand naira (N100,000)for each of the inmates just as he commended Dr Aderoye foundation for successfully conducting surgery on the beneficiaries.