Nigerian hospitals failure to treat heart ailments worrisome -Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday said he was at a time disturbed that none of the nation’s teaching hospitals could treat heart-related ailments.

He however expressed delight that the University College Hospital, Ibadan is now carrying out open heart surgery. 

Jonathan made the remarks in his home town, Otuoke, Bayelsa State during the funeral service for his younger sister, Mrs. Nancy Jonathan-Olei, who he said died of heart-related ailment.

Speaking at the  St. Stephen’s Anglican Church,  Otuoke, venue of the service, on Friday, he said the deceased had to be making frequent medical trips to India for her ailment since his tenure as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.  

He said he was saddened that at a time, upon enquiry, his personal physician told him that the closest place to get treatment for heart-related ailment was Ghana.

He said, “Nancy that died was my immediate younger sister, though we were not from the same mother. 

“I was very sad when she died because I knew she has been passing through pains for a very long time. Sometimes I felt God has been really kind to her.

“She started developing probems with her heart when I was deputy governor, then I started asking questions. I asked my personal physician where do we treat her.

“My doctor told me that the nearest place to treat her was Ghana.

“So I said we have so many teaching hospitals in Nigeria and none can attempt to work on a human heart. I was worried. But today I am happy that University of Ibadan is handling open heart surgery.”

The President recalled that her late sister was taken to India frequently for over three years before she passed-on.

The remains of the deceased were interred after the church service.

Earlier, her body was moved from the Otuoke Comprehensive Hospital Mortuary to her residence and later moved to the Dame Patience Jonathan Square for a Service of Songs.

Those who joined Jonathan at the funeral service included his wife, Patience; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and other top government officials from the Presidency.