Five patients have benefited from a free cardiac surgical mission organised by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja in collaboration with VOOM foundation, a U.S. based Non-Governmental Organisation.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke, made the disclosure at a news conference on Friday in Lagos.
Oke said that the surgery was 100 per cent successful and that the patients were recovering well.
“We have had five patients operated on; all in varying heart disorders and I am pleased to inform you we had a 100 per cent success rate.
“This will enable us inform Nigerians that we have the facility and also, hopefully attract well-meaning Nigerians to sponsor missions such as this.
“We have over 1000 patients who have various heart disorders and if a Nigerian can sponsor programmes like this it will also help develop our capacity.
“It also offers our local surgeons the experience and exposure to improve on their skills,’’ he said.
Also, Dr Bode Falase, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, LASUTH, said that heart diseases that could be surgically corrected accounted for about one-third of cardiac disorders in Nigeria.
Falase was one of the lead doctors who carried out the surgeries.
According to him, carrying out an open-heart surgery in the country requires finance.
“Not everybody can afford it, because the finances range from institutions having the equipment, facilities, trained personnel, enabling environment, administration and funding.
“Up till now, missions are extremely useful, because it offers the government an opportunity to offer free surgeries to a number of individuals.
“But looking at the big picture, when you do free surgeries, how many people benefit and how many do we know that need surgery?
“So, going forward, we encourage philanthropists, well-meaning Nigerians to sponsor patients and by doing so we can help more patients,’’ he said.
The consultant said that preventing heart disorders would require people to seek help on time and at a proper health facility when they felt ill.
He also, urged people not to self diagnose or treat themselves.
“People need to be aware and have access to a facility to see a doctor who can make diagnosis,’’ Falase said.
Also, one of the visiting doctors, Dr Reza Khodaverdian, also a cardiothorascic surgeon with VOOM Foundation, said the aim of the mission was to improve quality of healthcare in Nigeria.
“I am impressed with the leadership of the hospital, the physicians and clinicians on how they care for the patients.
“We, as doctors are in the business that cares for patients.
“You cannot pay people to care, it has to be inside them and I see such in your staff,’’ he said.
Khodaverdian said that there was still room for improvement and that surgeries would require a lot of planning and resources.
He urged the management of LASUTH to ensure that it put more resources when carrying out surgeries in future.
In his remarks, Dr Sola Pitan, Senior Special Assistant on Health to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, said that the mission was important because it was all about people’s health and lives.
According to him, if people are healthy, they are more productive which in turn means the economy will keep improving.
“In Nigeria, to get to do an open-heart surgery ranges between N3 million and N9 million, depending on the area, what kind of surgery and a host of other factors.
“It is also important to let the world know that we have the expertise, however, our challenge is the financial aspect.
“This is where the VOOM foundation has played a role.
“The foundation brought a lot of materials including consumables valued close to $300,000 and that will still benefit several other patients,’’ he said.
Three of the patients who spoke to newsmen expressed gratitude to the government and medical team who carried out their operations.
Miss Naomi Okeria, 29, said she discovered she had a hole in the heart after a medical check-up done in 2017.
“During my masters degree programme, one of the requirements was to do medical check-up and it was discovered that I had an enlargement of the heart.
“I was then referred to LASUTH and told to carry out other tests which then revealed that I had a hole in my heart.
“I was told the surgery would cost N2.5million which became bothersome to me, because I did not have such money to pay.
“To my amazement, my doctor told me that the state government had paid for my surgery; I was so happy and glad that I could have the surgery done,’’ Okeria said.
Another patient, Mrs Ada Oviosu, 44, said all her expenses were returned to her as she was told that her surgery had been paid for by the Lagos State Government.
