Dr Jonathan Nwiloh, a Consultant Cardiovascular Surgeon, has called on government and philanthropists to partner with the Joe Nwiloh Heart Centre for optimum medical services to the poor.
Nwiloh, the Medical Director, Joe Nwilo Heart Centre in Adazi-Nnukwu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, decried the high rate of cardiovascular diseases in the country.
He, however, attributed it to the nonchalance of Nigerians toward taking care of their heart-related matters through regular exercises, proper dieting and going for regular checks in hospitals.
The medical director decried the low patronage recorded in the facility and wondered why such facility brought to the doorsteps of the people should not be fully utilized by them.
“This Centre was inaugurated in August 2014, but only 100 surgeries were performed on patients with cardiovascular diseases.
“Patients with cardiovascular diseases are yet to tap the services of medical experts in the centre.’’
He admitted that the cost of heart-related ailments was high and added that there was a need for wealthy individuals and the government to support patients overcome such challenges.
“Due to the high cost of treatment of heart-related ailments, I appeal to government and philanthropists to assist the poor to save lives.
“This Centre was built in partnership with Anambra Government during the tenure of its former governor, Mr Peter Obi, and Catholic Diocese of Awka under Archbishop Paulinus Ezeokafor.
“We have been in existence for over five years but the Centre has not met its desired purpose, which is to reduce avoidable deaths occasioned by cardiovascular diseases.”
He noted that people had a very low understanding of the need to develop routine medical checks, even as the Centre engaged in public enlightenment on the importance of regular checks on their heart to be alive.
“We discovered that people in this clime prefer to buy plots of lands, cars and other material things against supporting the poor to assess good healthcare.
“Preventable deaths now become the order of the day due to ignorance and financial constraints.
“Lives can be saved if timely attention is given to the health sector.
“Nobody can be more interested in someone’s good health than the person, you have to take care of your life as an important responsibility first, and then seek health support to be alive.”
He appealed to philanthropists in the country to invest in life-saving projects especially in the area of combating heart-related ailments and described the cardiovascular disease as a major cause of death in this part of the world.
Nwiloh noted that the Centre was being underused and urged government to make policies that would cover major health challenges of its people, irrespective of their social status.
He said the rich could complement government efforts on affordable healthcare.
“People die of cardiovascular aliments which are treatable in the Centre due to lack of funds and knowledge.
“Cardiovascular diseases are treatable due to the quality of human resources deployed in the heart centre.
“Our goal is to provide medical services to any class of individual that suffers from congenital heart disease. We do open-heart surgery.
“Only about 200 of this kind of Centre exist in Africa due to its high cost of execution and maintenance.
“Dr Joe Nwiloh Heart Centre is the only one in the whole of South-East and our patients are mostly from outside the state while our people die of avoidable deaths due to financial constraints.
“The rich can help save lives.”
He said the symptoms of the ailment are usually not noticeable but few signs such as shortness of breath, weakness, chest pain and swelling of the ankles, amongst others, might be observed by the patient.
“Heart illness does not show signs early but it can be detected if regular medical checks are done with experts to see hidden signs and save lives when detected on time.”
Nwiloh is the founder of Global Eagle Foundation, an Atlanta, U.S.-based NGO that organises a volunteer group of medical professionals that carry out charity cardiac surgeries.
He also assisted to set up new heart surgery programmes in underdeveloped countries and hails from Adazi-Nnukwu in Anambra State.
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