The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, said on Thursday in Lagos that the “LUTH Cardiac Project” had so far performed seven successful open heart surgeries.
Prof. Chris Bode, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) , said a team of Nigerian and Indian experts carried out the surgeries on six Nigerian children and one adult.
He said that the surgeries were carried out in the past weeks under the LUTH Cardiac Project established in 2014 in partnership with National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to the CMD, the institution intends to carry out 100 open heart surgeries in 2017.
Bode said that the success of the project had brought national pride to the country’s health sector and would discourage medical tourism.
“Aside from national pride, it also makes economic sense, by giving care to Nigerians in our country and also by Nigerians.
“It is, however, the decision of the present management to institutionalise cardiac surgery and make it a routine in LUTH and we propose to carry out 100 open heart surgeries by next year.
“Open heart surgery is advanced and there are no margins for error, so it requires manpower. We need to build a lot of capacities, equipment and funding,” he said.
The CMD also commended the NHIS that supported the project by sponsoring some of the patients that were operated upon.
Prof. Christy Okoromah, the Head of Pediatric Cardiology Unit, said that heart problems were caused by various factors, such as genetic, environmental and maternal diseases.
Okoromah said that congenital defects such as holes in the heart, abnormal connections and a sundry of other birth defects could cripple or kill if left uncorrected.
She said that adults may also suffer surgically correctable heart conditions such as damage to valves and a host of other conditions.
She said that the project would enable the medical team in the country to build capacities in their various fields by engaging in such projects regularly.
“If our entire patients continue to go abroad for surgery, then we will begin to lose our skills.
“We hope that Nigerians in both private and public sectors can join hands with LUTH to support patients to have these surgeries down here,” she said.
