A seven-year-old girl born without an anus has successfully undergone life-changing surgery at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State.
The surgery, which lasted over 11 hours, was performed by a multi-disciplinary team led by renowned pediatric surgeon Professor Emmanuel Ameh. The procedure reconstructed a functional anal structure while addressing related complications.
The Chief Medical Director of FMC, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, described the feat as a significant milestone for the hospital.
“This achievement marks a turning point in our journey to establish FMC Asaba as a leader in advanced medical procedures in Nigeria,” Dr. Osiatuma said.
The procedure was delayed for years due to financial constraints until the intervention of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Delta State First Lady, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori. Their support facilitated the long-awaited operation.
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In a related development, a one-year-old baby with a similar condition underwent a 14-hour surgery at the same facility.
Both surgeries underscored FMC Asaba’s commitment to delivering specialized healthcare to underserved patients, the CMD said.
Dr. Osiatuma called for sustained public and government support to alleviate the financial burden on indigent patients.
“We need collective efforts to reduce medical tourism by investing in our local healthcare systems,” he added.