No fewer than 20 vulnerable persons across Nigeria are to benefit from free open heart surgery at Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra.
The free open heart surgery billed for May 2, until May 14, will be the first at the multi million dollars cardiology Centre established by Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation.
Mr Oselloka Offor and Aghomishe Ogaga, Manager Media/Community Mobilization and Hospital Manager of the facility, respectively, disclosed this during media guided tour of the facility on Friday.
“We have booked about 20 patients who are vulnerable persons across the country for open heart surgeries which are expected to be done between May 2, and May 14, 2022.
“The surgeries will be done in partnership with specialist doctors from the U.S. under the Voom Foundation Cardiology Centre,” they said.
Offor told newsmen that the centre would be officially inaugurated on May 12, saying that many dignitaries including officials from the presidency were being expected.
“We have extended invitations to Mr President, Minister of Health and governors from the five South-Eastern states of Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra,” he said.
Ogaga escorted the newsmen to the digital cath lab, state of the earth theatres, high definition 128 slides CT scan, digital X-ray systems direct on bed oxygen delivery facility and four automated ventilators, among others.
He also showed them the oxygen plant at the Centre, saying that the facility was established to ease the sufferings of Nigerians who travelled overseas for heart surgery.
“Patients for open heart surgery spend between N2 million and N5 million overseas.
“Our proprietor who is a known philanthropist has undertaken to do these free for the people who cannot afford this,” Ogaga said.
He said that the 27-beded facility with equipment to cater for all types of surgeries ranging from minor to supra major, had equipment for kidney transplant and dialysis among others.(NAN)