8 July 2009
Lagos — Dr Adeyemi Johnson of First Cardiology Consultants led a team of physicians, nurses and technicians to perform the first coronary angioplasty and stenting procedure in Nigeria and West Africa at Reddington hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday.
This highly specialized procedure involves opening blocked arteries in the heart and placing thin metallic tubes to improve blood flow in patients with angina (chest pain) and heart attacks.
The procedure was performed on two patients at Reddington hospital.
To accomplish this feat, Johnson partnered with Reddington hospital and over a year and a half of planning they assembled the critical team and equipment to accomplish these pioneering procedures.
The first patient is a 46 year-old Nigerian physician who recently had a heart attack; before this procedure became available in Nigeria, he would have suffered significant damage and irreparable complications from the heart attack.
The second patient is a middle-aged lady with severe angina.
Both procedures were flawlessly executed and both patients are recovering in the coronary care unit of Reddington hospital.
Johnson is a highly trained and experienced cardiologist with over 25 years of practice in The United States. He left a very lucrative and busy practice in The United States to return home and establish First Cardiology Consultancy practice in Nigeria.
Reddington hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing high level medical care by investing in the infrastructure, equipment and personnel required to perform this complex procedure.
This landmark achievement provides unparallel access and opportunity for Nigerians and Africans who hitherto would have to travel abroad at great expense and inconvenience for first class coronary care; it also encourages the literally thousands of Diaspora physicians to return with their own unique skills and talents to Nigeria, potentially reversing a pernicious decades long trend in 'Brain Drain'.
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