The National President of the Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Nigeria (ACTSON), Prof. Anietimfon Etiuma, has raised concerns over the high cost of treating children born with congenital cardiac, thoracic, and vascular diseases in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 7th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State on Friday, Etiuma lamented that many children with these conditions have little chance of survival unless their families or communities raise funds, often at the risk of financial hardship.
He highlighted that Nigeria’s cardiothoracic and vascular surgery needs remain largely unmet due to several challenges, including high treatment costs, inadequate infrastructure, limited equipment, a shortage of consumables, and insufficient skilled personnel.
“Cardiac surgery in Nigeria is still in its developmental phase in most institutions,” he said. “There are gaps in infrastructure, financing, and availability of skilled professionals. These challenges can be overwhelming”, he said.
Etiuma noted that many children born with congenital heart and chest conditions struggle to access life-saving treatment, while acquired cardiovascular and thoracic diseases continue to be a major cause of death in the country.
Despite these challenges, he noted further that the conference aimed to find practical solutions to reduce mortality rates among children with chest diseases.
His words, “We are here to change the narrative and offer hope. No child or adult with a chest disease in Nigeria should be left without treatment. The biggest challenge we face is securing sustainable funding for cardiovascular surgery and establishing a structured, well-funded training program for medical teams,” the surgeons aid.
