The Enugu State Government has sponsored five medical personnel for specialised cardiac care training at Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, as part of efforts to develop local expertise in advanced heart treatment. The beneficiaries will undergo training in intensive care, high-dependency care, open-heart surgery and cardiothoracic surgery……
The Enugu State Government has sponsored five medical personnel for specialised cardiac care training at Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, as part of efforts to develop local expertise in advanced heart treatment.
The beneficiaries will undergo training in intensive care, high-dependency care, open-heart surgery and cardiothoracic surgery under the Trinitas Cardiac Traineeship Programme, facilitated by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Yomi Jaye, disclosed this at a send-off ceremony for the beneficiaries in Enugu on Thursday, a statement on Friday revealed.
Jaye said the programme was designed to reduce the need for patients requiring complex cardiac procedures to travel to Lagos, Abuja or overseas for treatment, a situation he said placed heavy financial demands on families and weakened confidence in local healthcare services.
He said Governor Peter Mbah was committed to building the state’s capacity to handle complex medical cases.
“But Governor Peter Mbah has been clear that Enugu must be able to care for its own people, including the most complex cases. That is what health sovereignty means in practice. And for us, it is not a slogan. That is why we must continue to build capacity,” he stated.
The five beneficiaries comprise resident doctors, intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and a medical student.
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Jaye explained that although medical equipment could be acquired and hospital infrastructure developed within a relatively short period, building the expertise and teamwork required to deliver safe cardiothoracic services demanded sustained investment in medical personnel.
“Equipment can be bought in months. Buildings can rise in a year. But the ability to run a cardiothoracic service safely is built in people, and it is built in teams, as a heart operation is never one surgeon’s achievement. It belongs to the anaesthetist, the perfusionist, the theatre nurse, the intensivist and the ICU nurse,” he said.
He added that the programme would expose the fellows to modern cardiothoracic and critical care equipment, as well as visiting specialists from overseas.
“Exposure of this kind shapes a clinician’s standards for life,” Jaye said, urging the beneficiaries to apply the knowledge acquired and share their skills with other medical personnel in the state.
He also acknowledged the contributions of Enugu Air, Cecilia Oyebola Foundation, Trinitas Healthcare Partners, Babcock University Teaching Hospital and the Enugu State Broadcasting Service to the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Dr Nnaemeka Ugwuowo, a resident doctor and Senior Registrar in the Department of Surgery at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, expressed appreciation to the state government and its partners.
He pledged that the beneficiaries would make effective use of the training and pass on the knowledge acquired to strengthen medical practice and education in the state.
“I want to say that we are not ignorant of the sacrifices and efforts put in place to make this happen. We want to say that we are grateful and, in reciprocity, the skills and knowledge we gain, we will extend to others so that we continue to ramp up medical education for the good people of Enugu State,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Enugu International Hospital, Prof. Sam Agwu, commended the Mbah administration for its investment in the health sector.
Agwu said the hospital, which is expected to be commissioned soon, would provide cardiothoracic services and attract highly skilled medical professionals from across the world.
He described his support for the governor as a product of conviction rather than political affiliation, citing what he called the administration’s transformational leadership.
“I thank God for gifting this state the best governor I have seen in my lifetime. I have been out of this country for a very long time. So, I am not political, let it be known. I am in Nigeria and Enugu today because I am 100 per cent convinced of the transformational leadership that the Governor is bringing to this state, not just in the health sector, but also in every aspect of life in Enugu State and beyond,” he said.
Agwu recalled that Mbah had initially expressed a commitment to improving access to quality healthcare in Enugu North Senatorial District, so residents would not have to travel to Enugu metropolis for medical services.
He said the vision informed the establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital, which is already operational.
“The second stage was to bring advanced care to Enugu and the South-East, and today that vision is standing there as Enugu International Hospital, super-equipped to world-class level, and we are engaging super-duper experts at every level,” he stated.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State chapter, Dr Chima Edeoga, also praised the government’s efforts to position the state as a centre of excellence in healthcare delivery.
Edeoga said the investments would strengthen the state’s healthcare system and contribute to the development of medical services across the country.
“I believe that by the time he has completed his eight years, the health ecosystem of Nigeria will understand what a governor who is determined to advance healthcare means,” he said.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, represented by the Director of Public Health and Disease Control, Dr Uche Okenwa, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustained investment in the sector.
He said the administration’s interventions were aimed at making Enugu a leading destination for quality and specialised healthcare services in Africa.
