International College of Surgeons Offers Free Surgical Outreach in Abuja: Relief for Underserved Patients
Although there is no official confirmation of a fresh outreach in 2025, the humanitarian efforts of the International College of Surgeons (ICS) Nigeria are once again in public discourse, particularly its impactful free surgical mission held in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) back in 2022. That initiative, which brought critical medical services to low-income and medically underserved communities, continues to be referenced as a model for improving access to surgical care in Nigeria.
The outreach, which took place in June 2022, was conducted simultaneously in three general hospitals Maitama, Asokoro, and Nyanya and saw over 150 surgical procedures successfully carried out. The operations spanned a wide range of specialities, including obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgery, ophthalmic (eye) surgery, and advanced urological procedures using laser-assisted and endoscopic techniques.
The programme was coordinated by Professor Titus Ibekwe, a consultant ENT surgeon and senior member of ICS Nigeria. According to Ibekwe, the aim of the outreach was to close the gap in surgical access for low-income patients, particularly those in communities where health infrastructure and specialist services are lacking. He noted that patients were selected based on clinical need and socioeconomic vulnerability, with many brought in from rural or peri-urban locations. The ICS team provided a full suite of services — from screening and diagnosis to surgery and post-operative care — at no cost to the patients or their families.
Professor Ibekwe emphasized that beyond free treatment, the programme also reflected a commitment to safe and high-quality care. Notably, the outreach included procedures using minimally invasive technology, especially in urology and ENT surgery, showcasing ICS’s emphasis on global best practices even within local humanitarian efforts.
Although no new ICS outreach has been publicly confirmed for 2025, a similar effort is currently underway through the Sakinah Medical Outreach, in partnership with Medics Across Continents (MAC) and the National Hospital Abuja. That initiative, launched in February 2025, has already provided free surgeries for more than 100 patients suffering from hernias, lipomas, kidney stones, and other conditions, further highlighting the urgent need for such programmes across Nigeria.
Health experts and stakeholders are now calling for renewed support for ICS and similar missions, arguing that such interventions should become a permanent feature of the country’s healthcare delivery model. Public health analyst Dr. Halima Obaje, speaking from Abuja, stressed that initiatives like the one spearheaded by ICS in 2022 demonstrate the practical benefits of merging medical expertise with humanitarian vision. She noted that expanding and institutionalizing such programmes could significantly reduce Nigeria’s surgical backlog, especially in areas where health access is scarce or unaffordable.
She urged the government and health development partners to create funding pathways for consistent, professionally-led surgical missions rather than leaving them to occasional donor-led projects or isolated efforts.
The ICS outreach of 2022 remains a reference point for the transformative power of organized medical volunteerism, and advocates argue that with sustained commitment, such efforts could help reshape the narrative of surgical healthcare access in Nigeria
The ICS’s 2022 surgical outreach in Abuja served as a critical lifeline to over a hundred underserved patients and highlighted how professional medical missions can fill urgent gaps in Nigeria’s public health system. Although not repeated yet in 2025, its success offers a compelling case for long-term, institutionalized outreach efforts.
