The Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nigeria (ACTSON) says over 80, 000 people in Nigeria require heart surgery ever year.
The president of the association, Dr Uvie Onakpoya, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday during the 5th annual scientific conference and annual general meeting of the association.
He noted that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world accounting for more deaths than all infectious diseases combined together.
He said it comprises congenital heart diseases that people are born with as well as acquired heart diseases from infections, lifestyles and hypertension. among others.
He said eight children out of every 100 children are born with congenital heart diseases like hole in the heart, adding that in Nigeria over 55 , 000 children are born every year with heart diseases.
He said last year, as a result of cost of surgeries and other challenges, only 212 heart surgeries were done; the number he described as a far cry from that of those requiring heart surgeries.
Onakpoya said the association was calling for a legislation for cardiac surgery in Nigeria to enable patients to access surgeries at affordable rates at both private and public health facilities.
He said the association was also training professionals and encouraging them to do open heart surgery in their centres.
"In some other African countries, their government pay for heart surgeries like in Sudan, Uganda Eypt and many other countries," he said.
He said there were only 60 cardio- thoracic surgeons catering for Nigeria's over 200 million population, saying it was grossly inadequate.
First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, represented by Dr Victoria Ogala-Akogwu, a Special Assistant, said her Future Assured project in collaboration with ACTSON provided cardiac surgeries for 10 children and 13 adults recently.
She called on Nigerians to help with equipping heart centres to ensure access to care for more Nigerians .
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services, Tanko Sununu, said less than 600 cardiologists and cardio thoracic surgeons practised in Nigeria.
The lawmaker said the massive brain drain in the health sector was contributing to the dearth of skilled manpower in the sub-specialty.
