Want to be a seasoned cardiologist? You no longer need to go abroad for training – thanks to Babcock University, which has just opened a new heart and vascular centre. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reports. Today, as the Babcock University launches the Tri-State Heart and Vascular Centre, it is the hope of its Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Makinde, that the event would mark the beginning of the end of medical tourism for Nigerians. Flying abroad to fix various ailments has become a norm for Nigerian elite and others, who manage to raise the funds for life-saving surgeries. Former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was about to embark on one of such journeys when he died of complications from cardiac arrest on October 10. Many experts in the health sector have estimated that these journeys cost Nigerians over N250 billion yearly- an amount that would do a world of good if invested locally. Describing the practice as disgraceful, Makinde told journalists on Tuesday that the Babcock University Teaching Hospital has begun to position itself to end the trend with the launch of the centre. He said: “I felt very bad recently when a former Governor, an industrious governor of one of our industrious states, (died) and the sitting Governor said they were just at the point of flying him abroad when he gave up the ghost. The question I asked myself is when are we, as a people, going to ever have the public shame of not advertising our incompetence, our weaknesses, our inadequacies to the world? “The resources of the country with which we are flying our citizens are just a fraction of the resources of Nigeria that is going outside the country because of (poor) healthcare. But we fly our resources out of the country and just mourn, grumble and complain about it. “Babcock has stood up and is rising to the challenge to speak and stand up; stand out for our country – that is why over the next five, 10 years, we are going to be bringing a number of specialised services, we are glad that the very first of those services, the Heart and Cadiovascular centre.” With the advances it is making in providing quality healthcare, Makinde said the university hopes to reduce health tourism by 10 per cent in the next decade. Why Build Local Capacity So far Babcock has invested about N2 billion in the centre, whose idea was mooted just seven months ago. Prof Kamar Adeleke, President and CEO of Tri- State Cardiovascular Associates, who left the United States (US) to establish the centre at the university, said he was inspired to act to reduce needless deaths from heart-related ailments, which he described as a silent killer. He was particularly moved by the death of a colleague, whom he said was Nigeria’s only Neuro-Pathologist, as a result of cardiac arrest. He said: “Seven months ago it was a Saturday when I picked up the telephone and I called Prof Makinde. I was frustrated in the U.S. It was about five in the morning in Delaware when I decided that enough was enough that things have to change in Nigeria. “Nigerians are very brilliant people; they are blessed people and indeed, they are hardworking people. They deserve better than what we are getting and the reason is because a couple of times they called me that somebody died of an illness that shouldn’t have killed him. I was disappointed when Prof Tope Alonge called to say, ‘Sir did you hear that the only neuro-pathologist we have in Nigeria died?’ He was only 52 or 53 years much younger than any of us on this table and I said what a loss for Nigeria. How long did it take Nigeria to train him? So I called Prof Makinde and I said, ‘I need your help; I want to build a heart programme in Babcock University.’” Adeleke warned that heart disease is gradually, taking over from infectious diseases that used to result in the highest casualty in Africa in the past. “About 20 years ago the number one killer disease in Africa, especially in Sub Saharan Africa, was Infectious diseases, notably Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. In the last three or four years now, the number one killer has been heart disease followed by stroke. The average life expectancy in Kenya, I believe, is about 68-69, in the United States, it is about 79.8 this is about 2012 and we are already improved and in Nigeria it is about 51 or 52,” he said. Given the number of serious cases of heart diseases he and his team treated at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, recently, Adeleke said the prevalence of heart disease is underestimated in Nigeria. He added that most of the 20 cases presently being managed by the centre are also serious. He said failure to perform autopsy on most deaths was part of the reason the disease is underestimated in Nigeria. Making a case for strengthening local training and facilities to treat heart conditions, Prof Makinde said failure to strengthen the education system and build local capacity in healthcare delivery would not benefit anyone – least of them the elite. He noted that despite their wealth, as the time and instability of the patient could render travel impossible and local intervention expedient. With 15 cardiovascular experts coming from the U.S. with Adeleke to run the centre for the next two years, Makinde is particularly excited that the programme provides a veritable platform for training of Nigerian cardiovascular professionals. “Training is one of the sustainability factors for the programme. The first set that has come here will begin to train Nigerians. We have 12 sub-residency programmes already. As they improve the healthcare, they would train Nigerians,” he said. Adeleke shared more light on a fellowship to further train experienced experts. “We have 15 expatriates from abroad, who have signed two-year contracts. We have also established Fellowship training – the first in Nigeria. We evaluated some cardiologists, who have gone through all the training and are consultants. They were not up to par. All these consultants will do two more years of training under us before we let them loose,” he said. Challenges: Establishing a centre of this magnitude in Nigeria has not been without challenges. The cost has been much higher than what would have obtained in the US. For instance, even raising funds from financial houses attracted up to 20 per cent interest – compared to the single digit they would have gotten abroad. Also, Adeleke said the cost of consumables used for the surgeries are high because they have to be imported. He said local production would reduce cost substantially. “All consumables we use come from abroad. If we are manufacturing in Nigeria, the cost will reduce. I have challenged the company supplying us to come down to Nigeria; and they have agreed to do so if the environment is conducive,” he said. Despite the cost of doing business in Nigeria, Adeleke is optimistic things would get better. He noted that the university has pegged the charges for surgeries at the centre at $15,000. In the US, the operations cost between $75,000 and $150,000. Prof Makinde has assured that the university would ensure that indigent patients, who need financial assistance are not turned away. “The policy we have at Babcock University is that nobody will be turned away because of funds. The procedures are not cheap. We are appealing to corporate entities to support people,” he said. Buoyed by the success of the centre’s first open heart surgery on a 34-year-old woman earlier this month, Adeleke and his team are ready to help more Nigerians get healthy locally, and in the process, transfer knowledge to local health professionals. As part of today’s programme launch, Adeleke said the Tri-State Foundation, would be launched to raise funds to support surgeries for indigent patients. Dignitaries expected at the event include the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who would inaugurate the centre; Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof Temitope Alonge, the guest speaker; Chief Bisi Akande, and John Momoh, who are on the board of the foundation, among others.

Cc:Lalasticlala do the needful

@OP: Did anyone teach you what paragraphs are meant for?
I wouldn't bother to read that epistle up there. Would be too tedious.

Nice, its high time we start setting high standards in nigeria

Akwa ibom state governor opened world class hospital. Does that prevent him from flying abroad last time he had stomach ache?

why would i read the whole bible while i can comprehend it through the comments out here.

Another milestone in health sector

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