By Uzair Adam
The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), in collaboration with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and the Al-Balsam Association from Saudi Arabia, has successfully conducted free open-heart surgeries for patients in Kano.
Speaking to journalists about the development, the Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit at AKTH and team lead for the local medical team, Dr. Jamil Ismail Ahmad, said the initiative has brought relief to many patients who cannot afford treatment abroad.
“Normally, open-heart surgery costs between eight to ten million naira in Nigeria. But here, patients are getting it almost free of charge.
“Outside the country, it would cost between 25 to 30 million naira, including logistics. This partnership is therefore very important,” Dr. Ahmad explained.
He noted that patients with heart diseases who require surgery but have no high-risk complications are usually considered for the program, stressing that safety remains a top priority.
“Some patients are excluded because their cases were neglected for too long, and operating on them would be too risky. Our key watchword is safety — we want to ensure that after surgery, patients are in much better condition than before,” he said.
Dr. Ahmad commended the partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, describing it as highly supportive in both service delivery and local capacity building.
“Such collaborations are important globally, not only for providing services but also for building local capacity. The visiting team shares its expertise, which enhances our training and helps us sustain these services,” he added.
On patient outcomes, he revealed that survival rates in previous missions with the same team ranged between 80 and 90 per cent, and similar results are expected this time.
Dr. Ahmad also called on the government, philanthropists, and the private sector to support such initiatives, noting that investment in infrastructure, human resource training, and collaboration would strengthen healthcare delivery.
On his part, Dr. Abdullah, the team leader of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, emphasised the challenges of delivering such care in underserved regions like Nigeria, Sudan, and Yemen.
“Patients often present late because they were neglected for years. Some should have undergone surgery 10 or 20 years ago before developing complications that now make operations riskier.
The best approach is continuous local services and proper screening. This saves lives and is more cost-effective than patients spending millions abroad in Europe, India, or North Africa,” he said.
He disclosed that so far, five patients had undergone surgery in Kano, with plans for six more cases in the following days.
Dr. Abdullah praised the dedication of AKTH staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians, blood bank staff, and even cleaners, saying their support was crucial to the success of the program.
One of the beneficiaries’ relatives, Fatima Muhammad, expressed gratitude, saying her family could not have afforded the surgery if they had been asked to pay.