Accolades as JUTH Undertakes Ground Breaking Open Heart Surgery

Tuesday 29^th May 2016, saw the University of Jos make history by undertaking the first open heart surgery of Northern Nigeria.

The operation which lasted for a week was performed at the main theatre of the hospital complex in Jos, the Plateau State capital in collaboration with some visiting surgeons and cardiologists from the hospital.

The laudable feat, which may experts have called a major breakthrough, is forecast to revolutionise cardiac surgeries in Nigeria, because once fully domesticated in Jos, patient will not need to travel to India or other locations for such treatments any more.

Speaking, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Edmund Banwat on Friday said We have made a bold statement that cardiac hear surgery is very possible here in Jos University Teaching Hospital. We have exceeded our expectations. Achieving this great feat would not have been possible without all of you here,” he said.

Professor Banwat added that the successful surgery has increased the capacity of JUTH as there was a transfer of skills from the foreign medical experts.

Medical experts of multi-disciplinary health professionals were at the Jos University Teaching Hospital during the period when the operation was performed.

Four operations were carried out within four weeks. Two closed and two open surgeries were carried out on the children during the period with ages ranging from nine years to 15 months.

The teaching hospital in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation from the United States Of America called “Hospitals for Humanity”, led by Dr Segun Ajayi, medical experts from India were members of the team that carried out the surgery. As part of the team from the Jos University Teaching Hospital were Dr. Chris Yilgwan (Cardiologist), Dr Miner (Surgeon) as well as other contributing doctors.