A newly constructed state-of-the-art Fibroid Care Centre launched in the country is set to curb about $1.2 billion spent on medical tourism yearly in Nigeria.
According to leadership.ng, the CEO/managing director, Fibroid Care Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, at the official opening ceremony of the Centre on Friday, said the Fibroid Care Centre is a contribution to the Nigeria government’s efforts in averting medical tourism in the country.
The centre is also the response to the yearnings of a teeming population of women suffering from Uterine fibroids, says Ajayi, adding that this condition has been known to greatly impact on the quality of life of sufferers resulting in loss of man hours, impact on their homes, careers, jobs and relationships across all spheres of life.
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For quite a number of women, these fibroids have contributed to their inability to conceive babies, thereby affecting their fertility and its attendant challenges emotionally and psychologically, said Ajayi.
The managing director explained that the Fibroid Care Centre is a specialist healthcare facility focused on giving Nigerian women best-in-class minimally and non-invasive solutions to their fibroid challenges.
“For most women suffering from fibroids, they are scared of the open surgery that had hitherto been the only option in taking out the Fibroid. Today, Nigerians have a choice of our various Endoscopic services or pin-hole surgeries as they are commonly referred to or the new-age non-invasive solution using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). This procedure uses ultrasound rays to literally burn off the fibroids without any invasive method.
“Nigeria by virtue of this new technological acquisition, has joined a unique league of 29 countries in the world where this feat is possible. HIFU is a scientific breakthrough which is available in 29 counties and about 350 Centres globally. On the African continent, HIFU is available in only three countries: South Africa, Egypt and now Nigeria.
“It is significant to note that Lagos state by virtue of this centre, becomes the first to host a HIFU Facility on the West African Sub-Region. Thereby, putting Lagos on the HIFU Map,” he added.
Ajayi said, “When we conceived this project, we had only one thing on our mind, seeing women live more fulfilled lives despite their challenge with Fibroids. With HIFU, patients can walk in, have the procedure done and, in a few hours, return to their normal lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, some of the women who have accessed fibroid treatment at the centre, expressed gratitude to God, for using Dr. Ajayi to help them live more fulfiled lives.
For instance, Dr. Joy Oluwatunbi told LEADERSHIP that life has not been easy, living with Fibroid, adding that the condition affected all spheres of her life.
Oluwatunbi said she initially wanted to travel abroad to remove the Fibroid, but due to COVID-19, she couldn’t. “I am so grateful that Dr. Ajayi brought the HIFU machine to Nigeria, because it has saved me the stress and high cost of treatment abroad. I urge women to try the HIFU treatment option. The procedure is just two hours, no blood transfusion, no cutting and within few hours, you are back on your feet,” she added.
