Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a voluntary medical campaign in Nigeria to provide specialised cardiac treatment, targeting 108 procedures including 28 open-heart surgeries and 80 diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterisation.
The initiative is being implemented by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in collaboration with Al-Balsam Association for Health Training and Development.
The campaign is designed to help patients access advanced cardiac care, particularly those whose financial circumstances limit their treatment options.
During first four days of campaign, medical team is set to perform 75 procedures, comprising 10 open-heart surgeries and 65 interventional cardiac catheterisation procedures.
The team also conducted 13 medical examinations and provided consultations and other essential medical services.
The procedures are being carried out at Nizamiye and Zenith Hospitals in Abuja, where 10 Saudi volunteers, including specialist doctors, consultants, nurses, technicians and administrative personnel, are working alongside Nigerian medical professionals to assess patients and deliver treatment in clinical settings and operating rooms.
Yousef bin Mohammed Al-Balawi, Ambassador of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques to Federal Republic of Nigeria, visited Al-Balsam medical team at Zenith Hospital in Abuja to observe campaign’s activities.
The envoy expressed satisfaction with the organisation and level of care provided and commended cooperation between Saudi volunteers and Nigerian health workers.
The campaign forms part of KSrelief’s international voluntary medical programme, which deploys specialist teams to countries in need to provide treatment and support healthcare delivery in communities where access to advanced medical services may be limited.
Through the initiative, Saudi Arabia is extending its medical assistance to Nigerian patients requiring specialised cardiac interventions while promoting cooperation between Saudi and Nigerian healthcare professionals.
Officials said the initiative will ease the burden on patients who cannot afford expensive cardiac surgeries abroad and will also facilitate knowledge sharing between the two countries.
The programme adds to the Kingdom’s wider international assistance efforts, with specialised medical missions providing practical support to patients and families facing barriers to essential treatment.
Stakeholders said intervention is timely given rising cases of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria and limited facilities for open-heart surgeries in public hospitals.
The ongoing campaign is expected to run for several days, with beneficiaries drawn from Abuja and other parts of country after screening and evaluation.