By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has celebrated the first successful brain and knee surgeries in the state.
The surgeries were conducted by a medical team at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Specialist Hospital, Minna.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bologi Ibrahim, Governor Bago described the achievement as a milestone and a significant breakthrough for his administration.
He reiterated his commitment to overhauling the state’s healthcare system to deliver quality medical services and reduce the reliance on foreign medical trips.
The governor also praised the hospital’s management, led by Chief Medical Director, Dr. Bala Waziri, for its dedication and progress. He assured the institution of his administration’s continued support to elevate its standards and services further.
The first brain surgery, performed by a team led by Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Uthman Uthman, successfully treated a 19-year-old male who suffered a severe brain injury and skull fracture. The patient is currently recovering in the newly remodeled Amenity Wing of the hospital.
Similarly, a surgical team led by Orthopaedic Surgeons, Abdullahi Mohammad and Mustapha Ibrahim performed the hospital’s first total knee replacement on a 65-year-old woman with bilateral advanced osteoarthritis.
The patient is now undergoing ambulation exercises in the VIP wing of the facility.