About 120 patients suffering from different kinds of ailment were operated freely at Rhema Clinic in Kwali Area Council, under the sponsorship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate in the area, Ibrahim Daniel.

Daniel, who disclosed this at the weekend when he visited some of the patients on their sick bed to ascertain the success of their operations, said his desire to offer free surgery to patients affected with ailments was due to what he saw on ground in a community during a visit.

He said a man suffering from hernia was lying down in a room during his visit to that community and he discovered he did not have money for surgery.

"It was during enquiries that the patient told me that he went to a hospital and was asked to bring N150,000 before he can be operated on. And this is a man who at the end of harvesting his farm produce, may not realize up to that amount of money," Daniel said.

He said there are many indigent people in the society who may be challenged in such manner due to lack of funds and are dying in silence, adding that if one really wants such people to participate in any developmental project in the society, there is the need to offer assistance to them.

"This is an issue that government at all levels should face by coming out with viable gestures to boost the morale of people through the provision of good health," he said.

The chairmanship candidate said he has instructed the doctor of the clinic to offer free surgery to any patients with such ailment, saying the gesture is part of his administration's plan to accord priority to the health sector when he becomes the chairman of the council.

Commenting on the issue, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Asemota Rhema, said over 120 patients suffering from various ailments such as hernia, appendicitis, lipoma, hydrocele, ovarian cyst, fibroid as well as emergency Caserean section were operated.

One of the patients, Malam Musa Mumuni, said he has been suffering from hernia since his childhood and was not able to raise money for an operation until the gesture came his way.