Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
A team of medical experts at the Multi system Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti (ABUTH) in collaboration with their foreign partners, have recorded a major breakthrough in open heart operation in the hospital.
This revelation was made, on Saturday evening at a ceremony held at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti(ABUAD), marking the review of the landmark and successful cardiovascular surgical operations .
During the review, the team of experts, led by Professors Tayo Adeleke and Paul Davies, US-based Cardiologists, disclosed that they were able to record successes in all the patients operated upon, due to the dexterity of the medical personnel in ABUTH and good equipment in the hospital.
Prof. Adeleke, the team leader, advised that for the heart to to be in good shape Nigerians must conduct a routine check on their blood pressure, which has been identified as the chief cause of heart failure globally .
Adeleke added that the experts from US have successfully performed over 10,000 open heart surgeries for a period spanning 21 years.
He added : “High blood pressure is a silent killer. Is the major cause of kidney failure, heart failure and sudden death among our population.
” The Life expectancy in Cuba is 81, that of USA is 80, so for Nigeria, which life expectancy is less than 50 to get to that level, focus must be on health sector .
“Good equipment and personnel must be provided in our hospitals, the way Chief Afe Babalola have done in ABUTH.
“You can get quality health delivery here in ABUTH with what we have seen. With this hospital, I don’t think there is need for medical tourism again in Nigeria”.
The founder of the 400-bed hospital, Chief Afe Babalola(SAN), described the breakthrough as a celebration of a memorable success in the medical history of the country.
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Saluting the experts, Babalola added that Nigerian Doctors and other professionals are as brilliant as their counterparts overseas, but were being underutilised by the level of decadence in the system occasion by paucity of equipment.
“It is sad that our people and hospitals are not well equipped, they have no exposure to the right technology and that was why I established this university to make up for the gap.
” So, my advise to the students is that, you must be ready to embrace the revolution we are pioneering here in ABUTH.
” We are partnering some hospitals in Sao Paulo, Brazil, India, Germany and Dubai to expose our students to better training in the course of being here “, he said.
The Chief Medical Director of ABUAD’s hospital, Prof. Ola Esan, said the hospital was set up barely a year ago to educate students and to ensure the delivery of highest medical service and to stop continuous outflow of patients and money overseas.
He said the medical facility has personnel and equipment to perform all forms of cardiovascular surgeries and other afflictions .
“The surgeries performed were done in a speed that had never been done before in Nigeria and in a manner comparable to how best it could be done anywhere across by he globe.
Two of the beneficiaries, Surveyor Tayo Akomolafe and Dr. Bukola Balogun, expressed happiness over the free health services they enjoyed from ABUTH .
Akomolafe said: ” I came from Lagos after I had been diagnosed of complex heart problem. I was taken to the theatre and after 30 minutes, things were okay with me.
“The equipment I saw were of the state-of-the-earth status and can compare with what you can get anywhere and my advice is that, Nigerians should not go abroad for medical treatment, you can get it here in Ado Ekiti.”
