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Duchess International Hospital, Lagos, has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing Nigerians’ dependence on overseas medical treatment after recording 44 open-heart surgeries and more than 2,000 surgical procedures within five years of operation.
The hospital disclosed that its growing investment in advanced medical equipment, specialist services and skilled personnel was aimed at making complex treatments more accessible to patients within Nigeria.
Since commencing operations in 2021, the facility has performed 2,053 surgical procedures involving both children and adults, with approximately 65 per cent classified as major or complex operations. Its services also include spinal surgery and specialised cardiovascular care.
The hospital’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Olajide Ojo, revealed that the 44 open-heart operations comprised 20 procedures involving children and 24 involving adults. The hospital launched its cardiac surgery programme in 2023 as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to manage serious heart conditions.
Ojo explained that collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, through the Duchess Waiting List Initiative, had helped improve access to cardiac surgery for patients facing lengthy waiting periods.
He added that the hospital attends to approximately 40,000 outpatients annually and delivers about 500 babies, reflecting its expanding role in providing specialist healthcare services.
The hospital’s chairman, Dr Yemi Onabowale, said the institution was established to address gaps in advanced healthcare and reduce the need for Nigerians to seek treatment abroad. He noted that its programmes and community initiatives had helped extend medical services to more people.
Onabowale also disclosed that the hospital had received the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award for Best Private Healthcare Facility in Nigeria in 2024 and 2025. He said future plans included expanding specialist services, investing in technology and strengthening public confidence in local healthcare.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, said the Federal Government was working to improve healthcare infrastructure and remuneration for medical professionals to discourage the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad.
Salako added that efforts to strengthen tertiary hospitals were part of broader measures to reduce medical tourism. The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, also stressed the importance of partnerships between public institutions and private healthcare providers in improving medical services.
At the anniversary event, Professor Nicholas Ossei-Gerning, a cardiologist at Spire Hospital in Cardiff, United Kingdom, urged Nigerians to prioritise routine medical examinations to identify cardiovascular risks early.
He identified high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, stress and anxiety among factors that can contribute to heart disease. He also warned that erectile dysfunction could sometimes indicate an underlying cardiovascular problem, encouraging men to seek medical assessment rather than ignore the condition.
