LASUTH to begin full cardiac surgery – CMD

-LASUTH will soon commence surgeries without the assistance of foreign experts.

Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, says it will soon commence full cardiac surgery, in a bid to curtail medical tourism outside the country by Nigerians.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Adewole Oke, made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, on Tuesday in Lagos.

Oke expresses that the Lagos teaching hospital was working tirelessly to be the centre of quality healthcare service in Nigeria.

“We have a government that is interested in the health sector; that is ready to move the sector forward. It has provided enough infrastructure and world class facilities.

“In order to complement the government’s efforts, we are also sharpening our skills to make sure that we provide world class services to make Lagos the hub of medical healthcare delivery.

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“Not by the word of the mouth, LASUTH conducted five kidney transplants this week and two between yesterday and today without any expatriate. All the surgeons are LASUTH doctors.

“We have also done cardiac surgery (heart replacement) about six months ago with the aid of some foreign consultants, but soon we will stand on our own,’’ he said.

“As it stands today, we can boast of first class infrastructure, hence, we can also provide first class services in terms of healthcare for Lagosians and Nigeria as whole.

“We hope to build on our kidney transplant experience for the cardiac. We have had seamless cardiac surgery first, but we want to cross our Ts and dot our Is on it.

“By next year, we should be able to stand on our own and perform the surgery locally without external help which I believe will help our system to grow.

“The doctors available at the hospital are up to the task, they are well equipped and trained with first class knowledge,’’ he said.

Naija News recalls that Lagos government launched the state’s DNA forensic centre, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.