Nentawe’s 58th Birthday: Taraba Medical Outreach Records 327 Surgeries, 71 Eye Operations, 575 Dental Procedures
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No fewer than 10,000 residents of Taraba State benefited from a major medical intervention organised to mark the 58th birthday of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe.
The healthcare outreach, conducted under the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach programme, recorded 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures during its first phase.
The figures were disclosed by the Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, at the grand finale of the intervention held on Saturday at the Multipurpose Conference Hall of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo.
Rather than organising a conventional birthday celebration, Yilwatda dedicated the occasion to supporting healthcare delivery for residents, particularly people in underserved communities across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The APC National Chairman said the decision to hold the intervention in Taraba was deliberate and based on identified healthcare needs among communities where financial and geographical challenges often prevent residents from accessing quality medical services.
According to him, the programme followed a needs assessment and was designed to reach beneficiaries across the three senatorial districts.
The exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital before extending to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Speaking at the grand finale, Yilwatda challenged political and public office holders to redefine leadership through service and meaningful contributions to society.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to improve the lives of citizens.
He added that his personal goal was to ensure that each day of his life contributed positively to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
Giving details of the intervention, Buma said the first phase was implemented simultaneously across six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each senatorial district.
He said the programme provided treatment for various medical conditions and enabled residents who might otherwise have been unable to afford specialised care to access critical services.
According to the commissioner, the 327 general surgeries, 71 eye operations and 575 dental procedures represented a significant healthcare intervention for communities across the state.
Buma commended the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach for providing relief to thousands of residents and acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the initiative.
He also praised Yilwatda for backing the intervention and selecting Taraba as one of the beneficiary states.
Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, described the birthday initiative as an example of leadership driven by compassion and service.
Kefas commended Yilwatda for choosing to celebrate his birthday by providing healthcare services to residents instead of holding a purely ceremonial event.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” the governor said.
He assured that the state government would continue to support partnerships and interventions capable of improving healthcare and the general wellbeing of Taraba residents.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also applauded Yilwatda for making healthcare the focus of his birthday celebration.
Pate said health was fundamental to the productivity, wellbeing and development of individuals and communities.
He described the intervention as an expression of compassion and service, noting that access to healthcare could restore both physical wellbeing and hope among beneficiaries.
The minister called for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments and other stakeholders to expand access to quality healthcare services across the country.
The Managing Director of FMC Jalingo, Dr. Aisha Adamu Mohammed, described Yilwatda’s gesture as a demonstration of leadership centred on improving human lives.
She said the APC chairman had used his birthday to provide hope, relief and medical support to people in need.
“You carry an enormous responsibility and contribute to the development of our nation. You chose to celebrate your birthday by giving hope, relief and support to people who need it most,” she said.
Mohammed said the positive impact of the intervention was already evident among beneficiaries, adding that the initiative reinforced the idea that leadership should be measured by the lives positively affected by those in positions of responsibility.
The celebration featured the cutting of Yilwatda’s birthday cake and the commissioning of landmark projects at FMC Jalingo.
Government officials, political leaders, healthcare professionals, traditional rulers and other stakeholders attended the event.
With thousands of patients treated and hundreds of surgical and dental procedures performed, Yilwatda’s 58th birthday celebration provided a practical expression of his message that leadership should extend beyond titles and positions.
For the APC National Chairman, the occasion was ultimately about service, compassion and giving to society, an approach he urged other Nigerian leaders to embrace.
