The federal government has urged the private sector and well-meaning Nigerians to increase their support for providing quality and accessible healthcare services, especially for the most vulnerable citizens.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, highlighted the importance of this support, noting the government’s limitations due to competing demands on resources, which may affect the full implementation of its healthcare revitalization plans.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the launch of a N2.6 billion partnership between FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) and the Healthy Heart Foundation, aimed at offering open-heart surgeries and advanced cardiovascular care to 360 underprivileged Nigerians, Pate stressed that the initiative exemplifies the impact private sector partnerships can have in advancing the government’s healthcare goals. He called on other corporate bodies and individuals to follow suit.

The collaboration will provide a range of cardiovascular treatments, including open-heart surgeries, minimally invasive procedures such as Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions (Coronary Angiograms and Angioplasties), and device insertions like Pacemakers, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD).

The Healthy Heart Foundation will oversee the selection and confirmation of beneficiaries, while FIRST Cardiology Consultants will carry out the cardiovascular related procedures.

Emphasizing the immeasurable and lasting impact of the intervention on the nation’s efforts to improve citizens’ well-being, Pate said, “We are deeply grateful for this remarkable partnership between FIRST E&P and the Healthy Heart Foundation, which highlights the power of cross-sector collaboration.

“This initiative provides access to quality cardiac care for Nigerians at a critical time, addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. 

“It is partnerships like these that will help us improve health outcomes, expand access to essential services, and ultimately save lives”. 

In his opening remarks, Henry Odein Ajumogobia, Chairman of FIRST Exploration and Production (FIRST E&P), an independent oil exploration company, emphasized that as a responsible and responsive organization, the board recognizes the healthcare burden on vulnerable Nigerians.

Affirming the determination of the oil form to contribute meaningfully to addressing this issue in alignment with the government’s plans, the former Minister 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 said that the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts have benefited 180 individuals through eight medical missions since 2018, with open-heart surgeries beginning in 2021, the N2.6 billion grant, Ajumogobia noted that the new grant marks an expansion of their partnership with the Healthy Heart Foundation.

On his part, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Managing Director of FIRST E&P, noted that partnership was reflected in the organization’s social development initiatives, that focus on education, health, and enterprise development and job creation. 

“By supporting programs like this, we ensure that our contributions in the energy sector are matched by efforts to improve lives,” he added.

He disclosed that the partnership is open to renewal to sustain the initiative.

Adeyemi Johnson, MD/CEO of First Cardiology Consultants and Co-founder of the Healthy Heart Foundation, also echoed the same sentiment, saying the collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of hope for those in need. 

“Our 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”.

On the reason behind the Foundation’s focus on providing open-heart surgeries and advanced cardiovascular care, Johnson explained that he and his partner, both specialist cardiologists based overseas, identified the significant gap in the care sector in Nigeria. 

According to him, the realization motivated them to relocate home to offer the same world-class services available abroad, particularly to benefit indigent Nigerians who might otherwise not have access to such care.

He said: “I came back in 2008, at that time, most of the cases of heart attacks were foreigners with only few Nigerians, today, more Nigerians are coming down with heart attacks, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.

“The incidence of heart disease is increasing dramatically, due to hypertension, we have the highest burden of hypertension in the world 

“There is now an epidemic of disabilities, mostly driven by poor lifestyle choices, and environmental stress, right now, even people in their ’40s are coming down with heart attacks, including women.

“Things are changing rapidly and heart disease is now a major problem but the government cannot do everything, the private sector has to assist the government to address the high burden of the disease in the country.”