Events

Duchess Hospital Ikeja Marks Second Anniversary With Subsidised Affordable Open-Heart Surgery

Published

3 years ago

October 26, 2023

As part of events leading up to the second anniversary of the Duchess International Hospital, the hospital recently embarked on a week-long cardiac surgery mission aimed at delivering subsidised, affordable “open-heart surgery” to a total of nine patients with a variety of life-threatening heart diseases who would not otherwise have been able to afford the full cost of complex heart surgery.

Speaking at a press conference to commemorate the event, Chief Executive Officer of the Duchess International Hospital, Dr Adetokunbo Shitta-Bey, said the Duchess has been working on this landmark initiative in collaboration with Friends of Nigeria Save-A-Heart Foundation, United Kingdom.

He explained that the combined team of 22 highly trained and experienced specialist professionals comprising cardiac perfusionists, theatre practitioners, intensive care nurses, cardiac anaesthetists and interventional cardiologists was made up of 11 highly skilled professionals from the Duchess International Hospital and 11 members of the Save-A-Heart Foundation visiting team from the United Kingdom.

The Chief Executive reiterated the hospital’s mission to reverse medical tourism and its commitment to institutional collaboration and cooperation to achieve good patient outcomes and global standards of evidence-based practice

According to the Duchess Hospital Chief Executive, the hospital is working closely with institutions and professionals globally to attract the “brightest and the best” talent to offer their expertise to Nigeria, while at the same time investing in training and development to build capacity locally for the benefit of patients at home.

“This is one of the ways in which we are offering global best practice in medical services right here in Nigeria while at the same time reducing medical tourism and capital flight”, Shitta-Bey, said.

Speaking at the event, the head of the UK medical mission, Dr Onyii Nzewi said Save-A-Heart Foundation is pleased to collaborate with Duchess International Hospital to provide affordable open-heart surgery to restore hope and bring smiles to numerous individuals and families who have lived with the effects of complex heart disease and cardiovascular conditions for a very long time.

Nzewi commended the management of Duchess Hospital, Ikeja for providing a world-class medical environment for Nigerians. He remarked that the team, working with their counterparts at the Duchess International Hospital, was able to achieve this landmark objective through a combination of highly skilled expertise and cutting-edge medical infrastructure available specifically for cardiac surgery at the Duchess International Hospital.

Led by the Professor of Cardiac Surgery and Coordinator of the Duchess Cardiac Surgery Programme, Dr Bode Falase and Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast and founder of the Save-A-Heart Foundation, Dr Onyii Nzewi, the combined team successfully performed a total of nine open heart surgery procedures, each lasting several hours, over five days.

Commenting on Save-A-Heart Foundation’s highly successful collaboration with the Duchess International Hospital, Falase said the partnership has helped tremendously to foster collaboration across medical institutions both within and outside Nigeria. He commended the team for their professionalism and congratulated them on achieving a hitch-free cardiac surgery programme with a success rate of 100 per cent.

Some of the beneficiaries of the programme who spoke at the media event expressed their appreciation to Duchess International Hospital and Save-A-Heart Foundation for providing them with the opportunity to live a normal life again.

Related Topics:anniversary Duchess Hospital Events Featured

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Culture

Crowds Gather for Rare Sunrise at Egypt’s Abu Simbel Temple

Published

4 days ago

October 23, 2026

David Ogunjobi

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple to witness the twice-yearly sunrise ceremony illuminating Pharaoh Ramses II’s statue

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple on Thursday to witness a spectacular sunrise phenomenon in which sunlight illuminated the face of the statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, an event that occurs only twice a year.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The ancient astronomical ceremony drew visitors from different parts of the world to the archaeological site in southern Egypt on October 22, one of two dates associated with the phenomenon.

The second occurrence takes place on February 22, when the rising sun illuminates the temple’s interior.

Egyptian tour guide Yasser Fouad described the occasion as extraordinary, saying some visitors had stayed overnight to secure the opportunity to witness the event.

“Today is an extraordinary day, everyone is keen, there are people who stayed over the night, foreigners who actually spent the night in Abu Simbel to see this phenomenon,” Fouad said.

The Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel dates back to the 13th century BC and is among Egypt’s most prominent archaeological attractions.

Built during the reign of Ramses II, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs, the temple is renowned for its monumental statues and sophisticated architectural design.

The twice-yearly sunrise phenomenon is a major attraction, drawing visitors eager to witness the interaction between sunlight and the temple’s ancient structure.

The dates have traditionally been associated with significant moments in Ramses II’s life.

October 22 is commonly linked to his birthday, while February 22 is associated with his accession to the throne.

However, the precise historical reasons behind the dates remain debated.

Some archaeologists have proposed alternative explanations, including that they may have marked the pharaoh’s coronation and birthday.

Abu Simbel underwent a major international rescue operation in the 1960s, when archaeologists and engineers relocated the temples to protect them from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

The monumental structures were cut into large blocks and reassembled at a higher location, preserving the site for future generations.

The relocation was one of the most significant archaeological preservation projects of the 20th century.

Despite the move, the temple continues to attract visitors for its ancient Egyptian art, monumental architecture and remarkable alignment with the rising sun.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The annual gatherings highlight the enduring appeal of Egypt’s archaeological heritage and the continuing fascination with the astronomical knowledge and engineering achievements of its ancient civilisation.