By Olawale Olalekan
The National President, Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nigeria (ACTSON), Prof, Anietimfon Etiuma,has called for future training and upgrade skills for Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon.
Etiuma made the call during ACTSON 7th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference at African Centre of Excellence, ICT Park, Obafemi Awolowo University, on Thursday, in Ile-Ife.
The main theme tagged:’The Challenging Dynamics of Cardiac Surgery in Nigeria, saying the theme would create enabling atmosphere to brainstorm, proffer solutions in further development of cardiovascular and thoracic speciality in Nigeria.
He said that cardiac surgery in Nigeria is still in a developing phase in most institutions across the country, interms of infrastructure, equipment,availability of consumables, financing, highly skilled human resources among others.
The President added that cardiothoracic and vascular surgery needs of the vast population of over 200 million people in Nigeria is very far from being covered.
According to him, children born with congenital cardiac, thoracic and vascular diseases in Nigeria do not have any hope of survival except in special circumstances where the family can raise funds.
He stated that the greatest challenges facing by the association is sponsorship of cardiovascular surgery cost in Nigeria as well as coordinated and funded training programme for the team members.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU), Prof. Simeon Bamire, welcomed the participants to the conference, appreciated all surgeons for giving life to the lifeless.
Bamire assured the ACTSON that the training of the conference will provide important decisions and solution for the challenges facing healthwise across the nation.
The Chief Medical Director, Prof. John Okeniyi, appreciated all surgeons that came for their national conference, commended them for the job well done, saying the conference and the participants are in right direction.
Okeniyi admonished them to continuing working together as a surgical team of perfusionists, cardiothoracic theatre nurses, anaesthetists, intensivists, paediatric cardiologists, radiologists and cardiologists surgeons for positive achievements.
The Guest Speaker, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, delivered lecture on ‘Challenging dynamics of cardiac surgery in West Africa’.
Boateng condemned politicians for not execute world class cardiovascular centres of excellence that will be good news for health workers and their clients.
He explained that they prefer travelling outside to access healthcare and since private sectors lacks sufficient financial power to establish such, its government responsibility to deliver these services to the citizenry.
The President added that cardiovascular and thoracic surgery centres cannot be develop in a vacuum, but other services like: electricity, water and sanitation should function well otherwise health services will be severely compromised.
According to him, building up thoracic and vascular pathologies in different centres nationally and globally needs enhance standardized practices, care of patients and development for specialists.
Earlier, Prof. Uvie Onakpoya, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee, ACTSON, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), branch, applauded professional surgeon that present for the conference.
Onakpoya thanked them for ensuring the success of the surgeries performed on people with thoracic and vascular diseases in Nigeria, saying that the conference is the largest gathering of cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon.
He said that Dr Oluyinka Olutoye firstly operated a fetus in the mother’s womb and successfully returned the fetus back to the uterus to be born again.
According to him, the workshop and other training of the conference would empower the participants to replicate their hospitals and help them to reduce medical tourism out of Nigeria.
The Immediate Past President of ACTSON commended the organising committee for putting a lot of work to ensure a successful conference as they deliberate on the changing dynamics of cardiac surgery.
