Cross section of some of the patients after surgery at the CCU, LASUTH, Ikeja.

By Chioma Obinna

SEVERAL indigent Nigerians living with varying degrees of heart disorders requiring open heart surgery, were once in a helpless situation because they could do nothing to alleviate their situation.

But fortune smiled on 11 of them as they received free corrective open heart surgeries courtesy of the benevolence of the Lagos State government  that put together an initiative for indigent patients with heart disorders in collaboration with two American Non-Government organisations -Cardiostart International and VOOM Foundation.

Through the initiative, the patients  received treatment at the  Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Critical Care Unit, CCU.

For Mrs. Jumoke Akindele, 43- year – old petty trader, the problem caused her great difficulty carrying on with her business for over five years. Unlike her peers, she could not cope and had to stop the business. Her illness greatly affcted her family particularly her husband that became challenged with taking care of the home.

“I was trading before this illness started but was frequently being admitted in hospital and there was no money either.”

In tears, Jumoke narrated how she was given new lease of life.

Hajiaya Sekina Yakubu’s case was also pathetic. The 42 year – old woman was diagnosed with heart problem. Since the diagnosis, the cost of hospital bills continuously drained the family’s  savings until the State government took over her situation.

Like Jumoke and Sekina, the story of Jamila, a 53 year -old was more pathetic. Speaking through a nurse in the CCU, she said: “My life was almost gone.  From time to time I felt my heart stopped working.  I live every day thinking that I was going to die because we do not have money for treatment.

“Even when we were told how much it was going to cost, my husband and I could not afford it.  These two years have been the most harrowing of my life.”

In a brief, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof Wale Oke who explained that the feat was performed by Nigerian cardiologists and surgeons in LASUTH with support from the visiting experts from Cardiostart International disclosed that 10 cardiothoracic surgeries have been performed out of which six were open heart surgeries and four pace maker insertions while one will be done tomorrow.

Oke who explained that the mission would reduce medical tourism said the US based organisation, Cardiostart International donated to LASUTH consumables and other equipment worth $200,000 for the medical mission.

Explaining the intricacies of the surgeries, the Head of the team, a Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr. Bode Falase, explained that some of the patients operated so far had their valves damaged, adding that the youngest of the patients was 18 while the oldest was 53 years. .

“Five were mitral valve replacements; one was aortic valve replacement and four pacemaker insertions. The heart has four main valves and these valves can be damaged. Quite often people have what they think is malaria which is actually rheumatic fever and it damages the valves. These type of patients have their mitral valves damaged and will have recurrent heart failure. “We have to open their hearts and replace those valves. We also have one patient who has aortic valves replaced making it six patients.  One of the patients who had a mitral valve replacement also had a giant tumour like cancer inside the heart and was also removed it.

“We also did four pacemakers for people whom their hearts were not working at the correct rate, we used pace makers to correct it,” he explained.

Continuing, Falase identified lack of funds and permanent facility where surgeries can take place on regular basis as major constraints. According to him, surgery requires personnel, training, resources and infrastructure which LASUTH has but lack a dedicated Centre for cardiac surgery.

“To do it on a regular basis we need a place that is dedicated. We need also assistance financially.  If I was in government, I will dedicate a certain amount of money for 50 patients every year. Other countries do that.

Noting that the surgeries cost between N4 million and N9 million in Nigeria, Falase said: “One of the beneficiaries from Oyo State is a farmer that could not  farm because of the problem.    Another one runs a hair salon but she could not work because she is always in the hospital for heart failure.

Speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Dr. Sola Pitan explained that the mission was part of efforts to make LASUTH a Centre for cardiothoracic surgery said that the state  government paid for the  surgeries. The Mission Director, Cardiostart, Dr Emily Farkas said: “To keep the momentum going, LASUTH management should  build on the achievement so far. “We brought the services to the patients at no charge; we challenge affluent Nigerians to continue to support the government to build the programme.”

Continuing, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, explained that the mission was strictly for the poor.

“We started the first mission back in 2004. We are building the capacity so that we can do everything alone. We will begin to look at how to make the cost affordable for the patients.  We will like to appeal to public and corporate organizations to partner with LASUTH because there is only little government can do without out assistance,” he said.