The Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, has completed the installation of transplant and urology equipment for the treatment of prostate and kidney stones worth N250 million in seven Teaching Hospitals.
The benefitting health institutions are: Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja.
Others are, University of Jos Teaching Hospital; University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi and University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
Alhaji Umar Ali, who represented Tetfund, said in Kano on Tuesday during a capacity training that such a gesture is the first in government hospitals for the benefits of those seeking health assistance in various teaching hospitals.
He said that those seeking treatment for kidney stone, and kidney failure are on the increase on a daily basis, hence the intervention by Tetfund to find a lasting solution to their health challenges.
Ali further explained that the equipment worth N500 million was provided to each of the Seven university teaching hospitals as tetfund intervention.
“We have installed the equipment, well tested and discovered to be in good working conditions.
“Doctors have started using the equipment for research and practical use in the university, but all credits go to Tetfund, because without their intervention, it may not have been possible,” he said.
In his remark, Prof. Sani Aji from Bayero University, Kano, said with the modern technology, there may not be any need to cut open any patient and will not bleed.
“Before now, after patients have been operated on, they will stay in the hospital for like between 10-12 days before they are discharged, but now, they can go the same day of the operation if there are no complications.
“Very few centers have the facilities and they are all private, but with Tetfund intervention, this Lazer surgery will help a lot”,he said.
On his part, Dr Przemyslaw Zugaj from University of Warsaw, Poland, said he is in the country to train doctors on the best way of using Lazer on patients when conducting surgeries.
Zugaj further explained that the surgery will destroy stone in the kidney and patients are checked properly.
“It is not necessary to repeat the surgery and it is cheaper”.
One of the participants at the capacity training, Prof. Samuel Osaghae, Consultant Urologist, from the University of Benin, described Tetfund intervention as a special project.
He said installment of the equipment will facilitate indoor urology center for kidney, urethra bladder and prostrate and it will impact healthcare delivery in Nigeria positively.
Dr. Haruna Usman from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi, said the gesture would be extended to other communities.
“This will reduce lost of foreign exchange, wastage of resources and people will no longer need to travel out for surgeries,”he said.
“With the facilities provided by TetFund, the capacity training is designed to strengthen the capacity of experts, who will better reposition the healthcare system in Nigeria.
