Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has provided funding for 30 indigent indigenes battling with various heart conditions to undergo open heart surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said that hope had arisen for the patients whose survival depended on the open heart surgery.
Fabamwo noted that the life-saving procedure would be performed by the highly skilled staff of the Cardiothoracic, Cardiology and Cardiac Anaesthesia Units of the hospital.
“Open heart surgery cost ranges between eight and 20 million naira depending on where it will be carried out.
“It is a life-saving procedure for patients battling with different types of heart related ailments that are not amenable to treatment using just medications.
“This compassionate gesture of Mr Governor will go a long way in drastically improving the quality of lives of the potential beneficiaries.
“It is undeniably the first time that any government will offer such a massive support for the definitive treatment of serious heart conditions.
“It is even more remarkable that these interventions will be carried out by one hundred per cent indigenous staff of LASUTH,” he said.
Fabamwo disclosed that the screening and selection of potential beneficiaries were currently ongoing, while the surgeries would start in the next few weeks.