SUCCOUR may have come for some victims of the kerosene explosions in 2001 in Edo State as the government at the weekend announced plan for plastic surgery for 50 of them.

These 50 people that would benefit from what the State Commissioner for Health, Mr. Godwin Ovbiagele said was a continuous exercise, are those with worst cases depending on the degree of damage to their physique.

Ovbiagele disclosed this when he presented a cheque of N25 million to Modupe Ozolua, founder and president of BEARS Foundation who would handle the surgery.

There is also a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the foundation and the state government over the treatment that would cost about N106 million.

According to Ovbiagele, the N25 million was donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), specifically for the surgery.

The MOU provides for BEARS bringing in a team of plastic surgeons from Beverly Hills, California, USA, to work on the victims at the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital Complex, Okada.

The MOU also covers the supply of necessary equipment to be used and which invariably would become the property of the state government.

Ovbiagele added that the MOU was a plus for the government because its four experienced surgeons would, during the surgery, gain more expertise, which will put the state in good stead in future.

He dismissed insinuation that the state had abandoned the victims saying that the screening of victims from Friday next week, would be a good beginning.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ozolua said that the teaching hospital was the only one in the state that has the facilities for use.

Ozolua added that Okada Hospital was also chosen because it offered its facilities and its contributions to the victims.

She said that the Beverly Hills team included four surgeons and three operating room nurses while they would be backed by four surgeons from Edo State to understudy the operations.

Ozolua said the equipment being provided would cost about N16 million outside treating the patients and accommodation for the California team.