A decade after the federal government suspended the operations of open heart surgeries in the country, the open heart surgery unit at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, has been resuscitated to avail Nigerians the opportunity of getting the service at a subsidised rate of N500,000.
The unit was suspended a decade ago following the movement of the UNTH from the old site within the Enugu metropolis to its permanent site at Ituku-Ozala.
Briefing journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said his Ministry of Health counterpart, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, briefed the council on the issue, indicating that with the development, Nigerians now have the chance to have the operation within the country without having to travel abroad.
Just last month, Chukwu inaugurated the heart surgery unit at the UNTH, noting that it was in line with the transformation programme of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.
According to him, the resuscitation became necessary in order to forestall the current trend whereby "Nigerians are flown abroad for medical missions which is not the best for us."
He noted that: "There was no reason why medical skills should not be available in Nigeria," pointing out that the decision to re-visit the project was made possible through partnership with foreign organisations.
The hospital is currently working with a United States based non-governmental organisation, the VOOM Foundation, also known as the Vincent Ohaji Memorial Foundation, which led a team of 14 medical experts to Nigeria for the sole purpose of resuscitating the programme at the UNTH.
Four cases have been handled since March 18, when the partners arrived, thus stemming the tide of medical mission to India and other European countries.
Another mission is planned for May and July, thereby targeting to garner four missions before the year runs out.
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