The Sokoto State-owned Orthopedic Hospital, Wamakko, in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Sunday, July 23, successfully conducted a bilateral total knee transplant on a 50-year old woman, names withheld.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Nuradeen Altine Aliyu,disclosed this to newsmen in Wamakko town on Monday.
Aliyu stated that the successful surgery was conducted on the lucky woman who was hitherto suffering from Osteoathritis or severe degenerative disease of both knees.
”The surgery was conducted by Surgeons of the hospital and their colleagues from the National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala in Kano, Kano State.
”The entire procedure cost N 1million per knee, hence gulping only N 2million, as it was highly subsidized by the state government”.
”The surgery would have costed her nearly N N 5million per knee, totaling N 2 million for the two knees, if it was done outside Nigeria. This is great relief for her, as the cost had been highly subsidized here, compared to other places like India, Egypt or Germany.”
Aliyu commended the state government for providing the implants needed for such surgeries at highly subsidized prices, coupled with other incentives.
Also commenting, the State Health Commissioner, Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale, urged other prospective clients to patronize the cheap medical services available at the hospital.
Kakale stated that the hospital has the equipment and manpower to provide an array of orthopedic and other related medical services, at highly subsidized prices.
”This is better than embarking on medical tourism which is more costly and highly inconveniencing. The state government will continue to support the hospital to function effectively, to bring more succor to patients in the state and other parts of Nigeria,”’
The hospital had conducted two of such surgeries in March, 2017, one patient on both knees and the second one on a single knee.
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