She stated that as at 2020 , “We had less than about 500 cardiologists to over 200 million populations and it is possible that this number is less because a lot of our people are migrating out of the country for lack of job satisfaction, monitory and otherwise.
In Nasarawa State, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered from the only tertiary health facility in Lafia, state capital , Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital has two cardiologists consultants. It was also confirmed that each cardiologists sees forty patients daily. In Enugu State, a cardiologist who spoke on condition of anonymity said there are more than 10 well trained cardiologists in Enugu State.
He said, “I was hypertensive initially. It is over three years and some months now,” he said while struggling to contend with pains on his raised hospital bed. Though Imo State parades over twenty cardiologists, investigation by LEADERSHIP Sunday reveals most of these cardiologists, who consult for the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and the Imo State Teaching Hospital have their private clinics where they attend to the wealthy.
A patient, who pleaded anonymity told LEADERSHIP Sunday at the UPTH that if there were enough cardiologists, patients will not be spending days before having access to one. Dr Valentine Emeka Amadi, Cardiology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Center, , Asaba, said appointment to see any cardiologist on Tuesday and Wednesday every week in the hospital is not really easy because many other patients are already on appointment .
According to the permanent secretary of the state ministry of education, Dr Salisu Muazu said they were expecting some students to complete their five year specialist study on cardiology and join the state service in the next few years. On the difficulties in booking for appointments and waiting period to meet with cardiologists, Mbeku said, “Usually they make the visitation, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Outside that, it’s difficult to meet with them as some of them are said to be consulting in more than one hospital.”The four cardiologists in the state, according to Dr Muawiya Usman, a cardiologist, who spoke to our correspondent, are in two hospitals.
Shockingly, even in the Federal Capital Territory , patients are usually given between two to three months appointments, as only fifteen heart doctors operates in the nation’s capital. Out of this number, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that only three cardiologistds service general hospitals in FCT.
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