The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Abeokuta, Professor Adewale Musa-Olomu, has disclosed that the hospital has achieved a remarkable milestone in upgrading its medical facilities and securing services of competent surgeons responsible for an impressive 25% of all open heart surgeries performed daily in Nigeria.
Prof. Musa-Olomu made this revelation while playing host to the Executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, led by its Chairman, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, who paid him a courtesy call in his office, FMC, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta on Friday.
He emphasised that FMC, Abeokuta has emerged as a critical player in the country’s healthcare landscape, significantly contributing to the lifesaving procedures made possible by its advanced medical equipment and skilled surgical team.
“I came in and saw the need to start open heart surgery and I pursued it vigorously to secure qualified surgeons who are dedicated to providing essential cardiac care despite being difficult to get one due to their few number in the country, but we got for our centre”, he stated.
Highlighting the cost disparity between domestic and foreign medical options, he noted that patients often face upwards of $100,000 for open heart surgery abroad, notably in Ghana and Ivory Coast, but in sharp contrast, the cost of a similar procedure at FMC Abeokuta is significantly more affordable, averaging around N10 million when considering all expenses.
Musa-Olomu, however, emphasized the importance of public awareness regarding the hospital’s capabilities, urging collaboration with the NUJ to ensure more individuals take advantage of these services.
Earlier in his reaction, Chairman of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Akinwale Olanrewaju, commended the FMC’s management for accelerated turnaround of the hospital, saying the development, as witnessed in the last seven years, underscored the facility’s crucial role in providing high-quality health services to Nigerians, reducing the necessity for overseas medical treatments, and ultimately saving lives.
While reiterating the importance of continued collaboration between the hospital and the media, Olanrewaju assured continued collaboration between journalists and the hospital.
