By: Ike Philip Abiagom
The Nigerian Thoracic Society says that, as of 2019, 15 million Nigerians were asthmatic while a nationwide study put the number at 13 million – one of the highest rates in Africa. With less than accurate data in Nigeria, because those in rural areas have limited access to quality healthcare or medical tracking, the number could be even higher and more than 10 million Nigerians have asthma and about three-quarters of them risked dying due to poor asthma control.
The high rate of Asthmatic attack in Nigeria as revealed by the reports of the world renowned agencies became a source of worry for Igbuzo born Philanthropist, Pastor Idowu Okeze, the founder of CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION .
“I sat down and asked myself what can be done to reduce the high rate of Asthmatic attack and to help these patients who don’t have money to carter for their healthcare, that is why we decided to build this free specialist hospital(CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION),” he said.
As it stands, hope of a better healthcare seems to have come the way of the poor and less privileged in Nigeria, especially those in Ibusa, and its environs with the construction and inauguration of a Free Specialist Asthmatics Hospital by the Pastor Idowu Okeze.
Pastor Okeze fulfiled his dream by building a world class Asthmatic Hospital,CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION in Ibusa,Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta state to improve the health care sector of the country. After many decades of medical tourism and visits to the overseas by many Deltans and Nigerians in general that amounts into millions of naira on a yearly basis, a decline might be expected to set in as the CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION has been unveiled in Ibusa,Delta State.
The (CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION) Free Specialist Hospital inaugurated on August 17TH,2024 has automatically joined the league of private hospitals in the country to help to address the high rate of asthmatics attack in Nigeria, but with direct focus on the less privileged and down trodden in Ibusa at present.
According to founder of CIDO ASTHMA FOUNDATION,Pastor Idowu Okeze“ a philanthropist, who loves giving back to the society,to help his Community, said the world class Asthmatic Hospital is 100% free of charge for all Nigerians, irrespective of where you come from, The multi-million Naira hospital is set to be an investment that will bring more advancement in medical sciences in automated Asthmatic procedures and critical care management in Nigeria.
Okeze also noted that in grand scheme of things, the hospital is expected to become a teaching hospital that will be a grooming ground for talented medical practitioners in Nigeria and create employment opportunities for youth in Ibusa and its environs.
According to reports, the new facility is equipped with modern oxygen beds, high-definition CT scan, automated ventilators, Digital Cath Lab, state of the art theaters and other world class equipment that are used in major surgeries and Asthmatic treatments.
Pastor Okeze has also called for support from government, individuals and international organisations to replicates the free hospital in every nook and cranny of the country to guarantee easy and free access to health for the less privileged people.
