Kelina Hospital acquires first multi-billion Naira 120 Watts Laser Surgical equipment in Africa

KELINA Hospital Abuja has acquired a multi-billion 120 Watts Laser equipment for surgical operation. The new technology is the first in the whole of Africa.

The equipment – 120 Watts Holmium Laser, Moses Technology- which would be commissioned at Yar’Aradua Centre, Abuja on November 8, 2018, would effectively address the issue of medical tourism in Nigeria.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, a Consultant Urological Surgeon, Kelina Hospital, Dr. Ukelina Undie, said the Surgical Aid Foundation (SAF), will be collaborating with the hospital to organize its 2018 Surgical outreach programmer, that will culminate in the commission of the new technology.

ALSO READ: Over 2034 set of twins participate in Oyo Twins festival

Though he pointed out that Kelina Hospital had already carried out about two medical operations with the newly installed equipment, he stated that the Surgical Aid Foundation in collaboration with the hospital will organize a ‘subsidized High-Tech surgeries’ between October 29 and November 3, before the commissioning in November.

According to him, the surgeries to be considered during the subsidised surgery include Holmium Laser Enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for BPH, causing bladder outlet obstruction; Laser Lithotripsy for kidney stones; Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and Lithotripsy using the Swiss Lithoclast Master; and Laparoscopic Surgery for Gallstones and Gynecological problems.

During the outreach, he said only minimal access surgeries will be considered, even as he added that 79 patients have already applied for the summer subsidized High-Tech surgeries.

On the effectiveness of the new acquisition, he said the newly installed Laser, even though very costly has several advantages over other conventional Laser, adding that most of the technology in Kelina Hospital were not available in any government teaching hospital in Nigeria.

He pointed out that the manufacturer of the new technology, Lumenis Moses Technology, actually revealed that it was the first to be acquired in Africa and have to send an expert down to Nigeria to install and train the workers.

He explained that the equipment is 25 per cent faster than the conventional one, while it has shorter Lithotripsy time by 20 per cent, reduced stone retropulsion rate during Lithotripsy and can suction stone fragments at the same time.

He added that the new technology is a bloodless surgery as it drastically reduces the flow of blood during surgery. Dr. Undie added: ‘if these things are available in Nigeria, people don’t need to be traveling abroad for medical care.’

The surgery that can be effectively handled with the new technology includes enlarged prostate, kidney stones, huge kidney stones, Gail stones and gynecological problems, such as utterine fibroid, ovarian cysts, and Laparoscopic surgery.

According to Dr Undie, all these will also be carried out during the outreach programmer on selected patients.