Lagos opens 60-bed cardiac, renal centre

Shortly before the hospital was declared opened by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu 1, Governor Babatunde  Fashola explained that  one of the reasons behind the construction of this specialist hospital was to stop Nigerians from seeking treatment abroad.According to the governor, “We could have built one of this Cardiac and Renal Centre with […]

Shortly before the hospital was declared opened by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu 1, Governor Babatunde  Fashola explained that  one of the reasons behind the construction of this specialist hospital was to stop Nigerians from seeking treatment abroad.
According to the governor, “We could have built one of this Cardiac and Renal Centre with some of the millions of  petrol dollars wasted by the Jonathan-led administration.
“The Federal Government does not understand that it diminishes our image every time that the head of government travels abroad for medical care”.
Governor Fashola noted that in most developed countries, the best hospitals are military hospitals where their presidents get treatment, adding that Nigeria’s military hospitals used to be like that in the past.
“What is the ailment that a Nigerian president goes to treat abroad that a Nigerian hospital built by him cannot handle?” he queried.
Explaining the rationale for building the centre, the governor said, “there were 42 cardiac cases and 28 renal cases that benefited from the gesture of compassion from the ministry of health. There were also 11 renal cases that were state sponsored for kidney transplant, dialysis and post-transplant immune suppressants at St Nicholas Hospital in Lagos.”
On the hospital, Governor Fashola explained that it has 24 dialysis bed stations, 20 beds for recovery and general ward use, two high dependency wards with five beds each making a total of 10 beds for patients in intensive care, four post-surgery beds for patients who just finished surgery, two cathlab beds and two surgical theatres built to the most contemporary standard to cater for people who are critically ill.
“There are two lecture rooms for students but one of the fascinating facilities is the surgical theatre where kidneys and hearts can be removed and transplanted,” he said.
Speaking on managing the health facility, Fashola said Renescor Team, a multi-dimensional consortium of Nigerian and American doctors and nurses who are cardiac and kidney specialists in America have been engaged as concessionaires, saying they would manage and maintain the hospital for the next five years with an option of renewal.
“As at today, we have recruited 32 medical staff who are already on ground. 17 are locals while eight are Indians, seven are Nigerians in diaspora who returned home full time.
 “12 other Nigerians in diaspora have signed on to come home on rotation and 50 Nigerian specialists in diaspora would be coming on permanent rotation.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said that the prevalence of end stage renal disease in Nigeria is quite high.
“For these patients, renal replacement therapies in the form of dialysis or kidney transplantation are critical to improve the quality of their lives and prolong same”, the commissioner said.
One of the beneficiaries of the centre, Mr. Alebiosu said prior to changing to the centre, he was paying N75,000 to do dialysis twice a week in a private hospital but that he currently does it at N20,000 per week in the centre. He expressed gratitude to the governor for giving him the opportunity.