Saudi Arabia strengthens bilateral ties, to establish open heart surgery in Kano

As part of effort to strengthening the agelong bilateral ties with Nigeria, especially Kano State, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has resolved to establish an open heart surgery centre in Kano in order to reduce prevalence of medical conditions that require open heart surgery in the country.

Speaking during a visit to Governor Abba Yusuf at the Kano State Government House on Tuesday, Khalid Ahmad Al-adamawi, Saudi Arabian Consul to Nigeria, said that the Saudi Arabia Consulate visited Kano Government House to brief the governor on the on-going open heart surgery at Aminu Kano Teaching hospital (AKTH) sponsored by the World Muslim League with the support from King Salman Humanitarian Foundation.

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The Consul, who was in company of the country’s Coordinator of Muslim World League, Salisu Ismaila, declared that the Foundation would soon establsh an open heart surgery centre in Kano, adding
that 550 cartons of dates had been distributed to people in the State as he pledged to provide more assistance in the areas of health and water resources.

Also speaking Salisu Ismaila, Coordinator of World Muslim League in Nigeria, lamented the shortage of cardiac surgeons as there are only four qualified cardiac surgeons in the whole Northern Nigeria to manage many patients with heart problems, an issue, he said, “is needed to be addressed”.

Rssponding, Governor Yusuf indicated interest of Kano State Government in strengthening bilateral relationship with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the benefit of the two countries, soliciting an increase in the scholarship from Saudi Arabian Government to Kano indigenes to either study or further their education in Saudi Arabian Universities.

Governor Yusuf prayed for the actualisation of establishing a Medical University and a Teaching Hospital as it is an initiative which, according to the governor, will cater for the medical needs of many people in Kano, neighbouring states and beyond.

He also sought for the support in the area of reducing the number of out of schools children and reducing maternal mortality through the construction and renovation of classrooms and provision of medical equipment to public schools and hospitals, respectively.