Primus Hospital plans kidney transplant centre in Nigeria

4:00 PM Health, News No Comments

On setting up a branch in Nigeria   

We have a hospital in India named Primus Specialist Hospital and we have been getting a lot of Nigerian patients, and when these patients come to India with a 10 per cent hope that they will receive good treatment and many at times they come when hardly any thing can be done.

So that was the reason we were finding it very sorrowful and we thought of looking for a way of helping these communities, because they are coming all the way with the hope that the patient is going to be okay.

Unfortunately now we have a limitation in the medical field and when you tell them that no matter the amount of money you spend on the patient, the patient will not survive. Sometimes the life of that patient will be just two months or three months and when you ask them to go back to Nigeria they say no.

File photo: Surgeons at work

In most cases out of pity, we were being forced to keep these patients, you can imagine what that patient is going through at this particular period, the emotions and everything that patient has put you into.

That was when I and the Indian High Commissioner arrived at a decision to meet with the Minister of FCT Mohammed Aleiro. This Karu building was given to me, 40 per cent of it, 60 per cent which was to be completed by the government. when we were given this building, within six months we had to import medicines bought equipment and started operation.

We went there with the hope of helping people, our hope is to start kidney transplant this year. At the moment, we under go joint replacements, spine surgery, neurosurgery, (brain surgery), ENT including cochlear (ear, nose and throat) implant, plastic and reconstructive surgery and nephrology (dialysis). Etc.

Challenges

Everything that comes into this country, you must pay duty, apart from that we rely on generators. We definitely want support from the government of Nigeria, you may be right but if a patient has to go to India and you do the comparison, it is much less than what we are doing here, because in India, at least one or two persons will come with the patient and you need to stay for three months. It is not easy to bring doctors to Nigeria due to bad online publicity of African countries which is not true.

Are there plans to reduce your charges?

That is not going to be a problem; we can do it if the hospital is doing very well, we are just starting we have so many expenses, if the number grows, definitely we can consider. Why not, it is our wish to reach out to every body, and I totally agree with you because for the common person it is not affordable.

Free medical care

We are doing it but mostly, free consultation, 30 per cent discount on test and scan but not treatment because treatment is very expensive.

Reduction of treatment cost

why half during this time of medical free campaign than the diagnosis and other things you have mentioned?

It is the government that has to make this policy. If you go to India; the amount you pay is the same amount you will pay here in Nigeria. N86 billion goes out from Nigeria government to other country for medical every year. The government should be working on how to save that money and try to give insurance policy so that many things can be done in the country.

On Primus model of health care.

Our plan was to start investigation centres all over Nigeria. We wanted to start diagnoses centre in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ogun and Lagos because whenever you are sick all you need is to be investigated. If you are diagnosed properly, half of your problem is solved then treatment of life will be there.

Lessons learned in Nigeria health care delivery

I must tell you that, I came to Nigeria with the zeal to assist the community, it is not rice selling or foot ball place were people can play games, it is health you don’t play games with peoples health. I had full confidence, health is very important nobody play with health, it doesn’t matter when you need medical care you have billions in your pocket and a chartered flight is waiting for you out there believe you me, there wont be time for you, I had plans to start a cardiologic, oncology and kidney transplant centre and it has to be a team work.

Lessons Nigeria should learn from Indians

In India 30 years back we were the same and when we started many Indians who were based abroad came back. So that was my plans, let us start something and Nigerian doctors who are abroad should come back and grow the health sector in the country.

On Nigeria’s health system

There are a lot of challenges and we all have to work as a team. The government, private investors and other stake holders must invest in healthcare so that quality and standards can be brought to a acceptable level. My advice to the Nigerian doctors is that they are the most respected people in the world and they should come forward and push for a better healthcare for Nigerian people.






Source - Vanguard News

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Adeboye dedicates Ibafo Maternity Centre

12:15 PM Health, News No Comments

WIFE of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Folu Adeboye has urged Christians to live a life of holiness and uprightness to attract God’s unlimited blessings, saying that she had faced death more than 15 times.

Adeboye made this remark during a twin dedication of a Maternity Centre in Ibafo area of Ogun State and the foundation laying ceremony of a new provincial headquarters of Ogun State Province 8 of the church at Aseese. After commissioning the projects amidst thunderous applause from the congregation, the mother-in-Israel charged the mammoth crowd of worshippers to always cultivate the habit of praise, noting that she just can’t stop talking about God’s mercy because her life is full of His mercy.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Pastor-in-charge of the province, Pastor Adeagbo Akinlabi said the province was barely eight and half months old but “we have a goal and by the grace of God the mater-nity centre which is curr-ently situate on a temporary site, would so-on be moved to a permanent site.”

Stating that whenever things like this happen, it is a call to duty and responsibi-lity and therefore called on all members and well wish-ers to extend a helping hand to the church with a view to completing the headquarters project which he hoped would be commissioned in two years time.

He said the maternity is the church’s way of giving back to host communities where RCCG is located, adding “we believe government cannot do everything alone. Instead of complaining, let us stand up as a mission to assist the government and the communities.”

The ceremony was attended by the several ministers including the national coordinator of RCCG midwives, Pastor Mary Ojo and her husband, the regional pastor, Pastor Ojo among others.


 







Source - Vanguard News

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How MTN Foundation rescued Destiny from certain death

11:59 AM Health No Comments

The birth of Destiny a little over a year ago was heralded by frenetic celebrations in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Aboh Godwin. He is their third son and was simply adorable. But, barely six months into his life, Destiny began to show worrisome signs. He was not growing, did not eat enough and tired too easily. His breathing was rather rapid and he seemed to sweat too much.

Mrs. Godwin, a full-time housewife noticed the signs, and alerted her husband.

“At first we thought it was an ailment that could be treated immediately. When we got to the hospital we were told that he needed an ECHO to reveal the status of the heart and treatment required.

The result showed Destiny had two large holes in his heart. It was like a death sentence had just been handed to their adorable son who was just seven months old.

“I just began to cry. The child was too young to have this kind of problem. He did not do anything to deserve that. Why two large holes? Many with only one hole in their hearts ended up dead. How much more a little child with two large holes in his tiny heart? I just couldn’t take it.”

When they were done with crying, the Godwins asked the doctors what could be done. And their heart sank further as they were told it was only a very complicated surgery requiring sophisticated equipment that was not available in Nigeria. They said the child’s best option was to be flown to India for the corrective heart surgery.

“Somehow, we found the courage to fight for the life of our precious gift. The challenge however was money. The couple started running from pillar to post to get the required funds to take Destiny to India for the surgery that he sorely needed to live. The child seemed to be getting weaker every passing day, and the couple were under pressure to do something before it was too late.

“We went to many foundations but help was not forth coming. While waiting, hoping and praying for God to spare little Destiny’s life, a friend of Mr. Godwin’s told the couple that MTN Foundation could actually help them with the surgery of their son abroad.

“My husband’s friend said he knew that MTN Foundation had helped many people in the past. So my husband and I decided to try it out. We wrote an application to them and to our greatest surprise they called us to inquire from us all the information concerning our son.

We were particularly surprised because we did not know anyone at MTN. After they verified all our hospital documents they gave us the sweetest message we have ever received: They would bear the cost of our son’s surgery in India!” Mrs. Godwin recounted emotionally.

The Foundation’s support extended beyond the actual surgery and medication, to cover related expenses, such as the cost of obtaining passports and other travel documents, accommodation and feeding of the child and another person accompanying him. It was only by sheer providence that they arrived the hospital right about the time that it decided to pack up.

“Destiny was placed on a series of medications for a week with extensive monitoring and constant examination to ascertain the best time to open him up. On the first signs of strength and stability, Destiny was wheeled into the theatre for the operation. Then wait began.

The surgery reportedly took hours. An exhausted doctor later walked in to inform the distraught mother that the operation had been successful and Destiny was going to be alright.

“I thank God because MTNF came at the right time. First, we would not have been able to pay for the surgery on our own. Secondly, if the Foundation hadn’t intervened when it did, Destiny woul;d have had heart failure here in Nigeria where there would have been no expert care to revive, stabilize and operate him. I am sincerely grateful to MTNF.” she said.










Source - Vanguard News

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