It is 70% cheaper to conduct surgeries locally: Surgeon
A surgeon, Dr Uvie Inakpoya, Sunday said it was 70 per cent cheaper to conduct the surgeries locally, using indigenous professionals when compared to what is obtained abroad.
“The cost of surgery in Nigeria is what people pay to travel abroad to get the same surgery done,” the physician who led a team of Nigerian medical doctors on conduct free open heart surgeries in Sokoto said.
“We enjoin governments, donor agencies and other institutions to consider providing alternate funding such as health provision coverage and insurance for heart surgeries”
The surgeries were conducted at the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, (UDUTHS) Sokoto, in collaboration with the Cardiovascular Surgeons Association of Nigeria.
He added that about 200 heart surgeries were conducted annually globally, representing a meagre seven per cent of persons suffering from heart problems.
Mr Inakpoya, who is also the national president of the Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nigeria, commended UDUTHS for providing required equipment and supplies for the surgeries.
He also commended the hospital for supporting manpower development in the area.
He said that the surgeries proved that indigenous professionals were equal to the task.
Speaking earlier, the head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit at UDUTHS, Abubakar Umar, explained that two surgeries were conducted and the patients were responding to treatment.
Dr Umar said the exercise was the third mission on heart surgeries conducted in the hospital and they were all successful.
“We worked in harmony with the visiting doctors and enjoyed working with them.
“During the surgeries, we concentrated on adults.
“One of the most complicated heart surgeries was conducted on one patient who had his two valves replaced.
“UDUTHS is always ready to work with any organisation to improve health issues in Sokoto State and Nigeria in general,” Dr Umar stated.
Members of the team were drawn from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
The team comprised cardio-thoracic surgeons, intensive care doctors, anesthesiologists and specialised nurses.
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