Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare has officially launched a three-year partnership to provide accessible open-heart surgeries and advanced cardiovascular care for underprivileged and financially disadvantaged Nigerians.
The partnership was entered between FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) and the Healthy Heart Foundation in Abuja. Speaking at the formal signing event noted that the fastest-growing segment of our body of disease is the non-communicable disease, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes.
While noting that government does not have adequate resources to respond, urged the private sector to emulate FIRST E&P and Healthy Heart Foundation in making healthcare more accessible.
“We are truly grateful for this remarkable partnership between FIRST E&P and the Healthy Heart Foundation, which exemplifies the power of collaboration across sectors. This initiative provides access to quality cardiac care for Nigerians at a critical time, addressing the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases.
“It is partnerships like these that will help us improve health outcomes, expand access to essential services, and ultimately save lives. On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health and all Nigerians, I extend my heartfelt thanks for this impactful intervention”, he said.
The partnership is expected to facilitate the provision of a range of cardiovascular related treatments, including open-heart surgeries and minimally invasive procedures such as Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions (Coronary Angiograms and Angioplasties), as well as Device Insertions including Pacemakers, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD).
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Over the next three years, more than 360 individuals are expected to benefit from free open-heart surgeries through this program. The Healthy Heart Foundation will oversee the selection and confirmation of beneficiaries, while FIRST Cardiology Consultants, known for their expertise in cutting-edge healthcare, will carry out the cardiovascular related procedures.
Henry Odein Ajumogobia, Chairman of the Board of FIRST E&P, also emphasized the importance of this collaboration. He said. “Of the thousands of Nigerians that require heart surgery annually, only about 200 surgeries are carried out each year. At FIRST E&P, we are deeply committed to the well-being of our people, the prosperity of our communities, the preservation of the environment, and maintaining the highest standards of governance. We are pleased to provide funding to help bridge the gap in healthcare and provide critical care to those who need it most.”
“Partnerships work best when the commitment is shared, and the expertise is complementary. This is exactly the case here, with partners who are deeply committed to creating social impact”, he added.
Adeyemi Johnson, MD/CEO of First Cardiology Consultants and Co-founder of the Healthy Heart Foundation, echoed the sentiment, expressing the readiness of the Foundation in rewriting the narrative of cardiac healthcare accessibility.
Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Managing Director of FIRST E&P, in his remarks stated that the partnership with the Healthy Heart Foundation aligns perfectly with the broader mission of FIRST E&P, which goes beyond energy development to include a strong commitment to the well-being of our communities.
“This ethos is reflected in our social development initiatives, which focus on three key areas: education, health, and enterprise development & job creation. By supporting programs like this, we ensure that our contributions in the energy sector are matched by efforts to improve lives”, he said.
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