By Zainab Olufunmi
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has completed the installation of transplant and urology equipments for the treatment of prostate and kidney stone worth N250 million in seven hospitals.
It was reported that the benefitting health institutions are: Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (formerly Bayero University Teaching Hospital), Kano; Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria; University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja.
Others are, University of Jos Teaching Hospital; University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
Alhaji Umar Ali, who represented Tetfund, said such 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 daily basis, hence intervention by Tetfund to find a lasting solution to their health challenges.
According to him, we have install the equipment, well tested and discovered to be in a good working conditions.
“Doctors have started using the equipment for research and practical in the university, but all credits go to Tetfund, because without their intervention, it may not have been possible.
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 patient are 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 is 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 Poland, said he is in the country to train doctors on the best way of using Lazer on patients when conducting surgeries.
Zugaj explained that the surgery will destroy stone in the kidney and patients are checked properly, while it may not be necessary to repeat the surgery and it is cheaper.
One of the participants, 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.
