Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, organized the Future Assured Cardiac Mission to help combat the heart disease epidemic that has affected so many Nigerians. The Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja would host the Mission, which included some of the top cardiac surgeons from Italy.
Speaking at a welcoming reception, Mrs. Buhari highlighted the high prevalence of heart disease in Nigerians. She observed that the average Nigerian cannot afford to treat this ailment, which results in avoidable morbidity and mortality. She expressed assurance that the collaboration of the international and local surgeons will result in a transfer of knowledge and the saving of numerous lives.
She took the opportunity to appeal to wealthy Nigerians for funding for these and other pricey procedures and treatments for underprivileged Nigerians.
Prof. Saad Ahmed, the chief medical director of the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi, expressed his gratitude for the surgeries’ choice of his facility and noted that as the top government hospital in the British Commonwealth, they have performed numerous procedures of this nature in the past. He praised the First Lady for giving him access to a cutting-edge Quantum Medtronic Heart Lung Machine with a diagnostic module, which is necessary for doing procedures of this kind. He claimed that this equipment is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. He assured the First Lady of the mission’s success.
The 13-person team’s leader, Prof. Oppido Guido, expressed gratitude for the chance to visit Nigeria, connect with industry peers, and improve the lives of sick children. He added the First Lady should be congratulated for her generosity in fully financing the procedures.
The open-heart procedures, which will take place on youngsters, will last one week, from January 21 to January 28, 2023. At several hospitals across the nation, comparable missions will be conducted.