Happy days: Bond Onwurah smiles as his wife, Ngozi , recovers from the procedure. Photo: ABIOSE ADELAJA

Nigerians don't need to go abroad for treatment - heart surgery patient

By Abiose Adelaja

July 9, 2009 09:17AM

Fifty six-year-old Cynthia Onwurah is one of two patients who underwent the first angioplasty and stents procedure in Nigeria at Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday.

A mother of six, and a teacher by profession, Mrs. Onwurah said she had been suffering from severe angina (chest pain) for two years. “Since 2007, I was always having chest pain,” she said. “I [had] been to different doctors, didn’t know what was wrong with me...but the one who finally diagnosed me referred me to go to India or the UK for treatment since there was nowhere we could do it in Nigeria. While we were still searching for a solution, someone referred us to Dr. Johnson.”

Dr. Adeyemi Johnson, an interventional cardiologist with 25 years experience in the United States, led the medical team that carried out the coronary angioplasty and stenting procedure on Mrs. Onwurah and Deji Morenikeji, a medical practitioner who had suffered from a heart attack.

According to the cardiologist, Mrs. Onwurah had a 99 percent blockage in two of her arteries (tiny pipes that transport blood in the heart).

He said that the condition can result in a heart attack, and if not immediately addressed, could lead to cardiac arrest, which is death. “But we placed her on drugs, and we were monitoring her every month until we carried out the procedure few days ago,” Dr. Johnson said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Still lying in her hospital bed, Mrs. Onwurah said: “I feel better now. I am happy we have a thing like this in Nigeria so that Nigerians don’t need to be travelling abroad for treatment.”

The coronary angioplasty and stenting procedure is a highly specialized procedure that involves opening blocked arteries in the heart and placing metallic tubes to improve blood flow without having to open patients up or put them to sleep. “It’s especially applicable to treating coronary heart diseases, stroke, and can be used in correcting some brain disease,” Dr. Johnson said.

He said that in spite of the challenge of epileptic power supply in the country, plans are already on ground to sustain this treatment in Nigeria. The chief executive officer of Reddington Hospital, Yemi Onabowale, who was also at the press conference, added that Nigerians should take every case of chest pain very seriously and adopt healthy lifestyles such as exercise and avoiding fatty and sugary foods.

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Reader Comments (6)

Posted by Oje on Jul 09 2009

The title of this article, "Nigerians don’t need to go abroad for treatment" is misleading. I know people with different serious health conditions who have sought second opinion abroad, and have had to receive treatment there because they received poor or sometimes wrong treatment in Nigeria. I have a relative who was actually discharged from a "top" hospital in Lagos and when the individual traveled immediately afterward on vacation/checkup, they were immediately admitted in a UK hospital as a matter of urgency. Sometimes, our very good doctors are hindered by inadequate infrastructure and support, lack of medication and equipment and even lack of information. I don't want to even get into the socio-cultural problems... Nigerians who can go abroad for treatment should go.

Posted by Jennifer on Jul 09 2009

Oje, i must disagree about the headline being misleading. The headline is actually a quote attributed to THE PATIENT..Nigeria would also be a better place if we each allowed objectivity to rule, period!

Posted by Lucas Omonode on Jul 09 2009

Oje, you are spot on.that is simply the truth.Let us look at our general hospitals for instance, all the Doctors have private clinics in town which is clearly a conflict of interest according to civil service rules and also they simply refer you to their own clinics to make money and when they have milked you enough and seee that they cant manage you, they refer you to a teaching hospital where the same process goes on.If you are lucky to come out of it,fine if not na wah.No doubt we have very great doctors in nigeria, they must be given good incentives, working condiitions and also an enabling environment including infrastructure, equipment and most importantly power.

Posted by Abigail Dauda on Jul 09 2009

Yes Jennifer, I agree and in support of what you said , its a matter of time and commitment. Dr Johnson A. is on of the committed ones we are optimistic that this has come to stay in Nigeria and by God's grace we will not travel abroad anymore for such treatment. Dr John you have given us reason to believe on our own local doctors. with the problems of infrastructures, culture and political problems they still can come up with this success that means God is answering the prayers of Nigerians

Posted by Femi Oke on Jul 10 2009

Nigerians don't need to go abroad for treatment- of course, infact, we dont even dream of it. It is not for us. we have our local general hospital filled with filth just outside the patient's window, we are well okay with waiting for over 4 hours to see a doctor who is busy attending to a whole community. why should we go abroad? We dont even have the money but thank goodness we have the agbo (herbal) seller in Mushin market to help us out. Treatment abroad is meant for our leaders who jet out once they have a small headache. Nobody pray to be in the best hospital in the world anyway,what we pray to God for is good health. Our Government has failed us, failed our educational system. Do a research on John Hopkins University (the best Medical hospital in the world), 27.8% of its medical students are from Nigeria, these wont come back home to practice. why? you wonder. take a look around you, I dont have to say much. If you have your money, go abroad for your medication, if you dont have the money, go to Iya alagbo (herbal seller) in Mushin.

Posted by Dr Ben Nwoji on Sep 17 2009

Nigeria boasts of worldclass doctors, we have got the brains, the zeal, the finances!!!!!!!!!!!!! we can make it.......................big up!Naija docs....Big up Reddington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!