By Maryam Lawal Imam
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), in collaboration with the National Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria (NAUS), has commenced a two-day national endourology workshop aimed at strengthening doctors’ capacity to perform minimally invasive surgery for kidney and urinary tract stones.
The 2026 third-quarter Endourology Workshop, themed “Scope In, Stone Out,” is being held at the Urology and Transplant Theatre of AKTH, Kano.
The workshop brings together 60 participants, including 40 delegates from different parts of Nigeria and 20 healthcare professionals from AKTH.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Prof. Sani Aji, a consultant urologist at AKTH, said the programme was designed to expand access to modern endourological procedures while improving the capacity of Nigerian surgeons.
Prof. Aji explained that endourology involves the use of specialised instruments and an endoscopic camera inserted through the natural urinary passage to locate and treat stones in the urinary tract.
According to him, laser technology is then used to break the stones into smaller fragments for removal.
He said the minimally invasive approach reduces the need for large surgical incisions and is associated with less pain and blood loss, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.
Kidney stones
Prof. Aji said kidney stone disease remained a significant health concern, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where climatic conditions and lifestyle factors could contribute to the condition.
He listed inadequate water intake, recurrent urinary tract infections, excessive consumption of salt, obesity and some metabolic disorders among factors associated with kidney stones.
He advised members of the public to drink adequate water, reduce excessive salt consumption, maintain a balanced diet and seek medical attention when they experience symptoms such as severe waist or flank pain, blood in the urine, painful urination or difficulty passing urine.
12 patients receive subsidised treatment
Prof. Aji said 12 patients would benefit from the workshop through highly subsidised endourological procedures.
He said AKTH had reduced the cost of the procedures by more than half to make the specialised treatment more accessible to patients who might otherwise struggle to afford it.
One of the beneficiaries, Saratu Muhammad, expressed gratitude to the hospital and the medical team after undergoing surgery.
Saratu described the intervention as a relief for her and her family and thanked the hospital management and the urology team for making the subsidised treatment possible.
AKTH seeks more equipment
Prof Aji commended the Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Prof. Abdurrahman Abba Sheshe, for supporting the development of specialised healthcare services at the hospital.
He said the hospital’s investment in equipment, infrastructure and specialist training had strengthened its capacity to receive patients from the North-West and North-Central regions.
He, however, called on philanthropists, corporate organisations and development partners to support the hospital with additional endourological equipment and investments in faculty development.
Prof. Aji said additional support would enable the hospital to expand access to minimally invasive procedures.
‘Training specialists can reduce medical tourism’
In his welcome address, Prof. Sheshe said AKTH remained committed to advancing specialist healthcare through education, innovation and collaboration.
He said the hospital was investing in the training of healthcare professionals and expanding specialist services to provide Nigerians with quality treatment within the country.
Prof. Sheshe said strengthening minimally invasive surgical services was important to reducing medical tourism and retaining skilled healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
He added that patients should be able to access quality specialist treatment without travelling abroad when the required expertise and facilities were available locally.
NAUS commends AKTH
The Chairman of the NAUS Workshop Committee, Prof. C.K. Oranusi, commended AKTH for hosting the national training programme.
Prof. Oranusi praised the hospital’s management for developing its infrastructure and specialist manpower and expressed optimism that the institution would eventually host the NAUS National Conference at its newly established Urology and Nephrology Centre.
The workshop is expected to provide participating doctors with practical exposure to minimally invasive techniques used in the treatment of urinary tract and kidney stones.
