NOVA Merchant Bank sponsors paediatric operation for 50 children

NOVA Merchant Bank has sponsored a Pediatric Surgical Intervention, as part of its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programme, specifically within its UPLIFT initiative project.

The  leading merchant bank in Nigeria, disclosed that the initiative, conducted recently in partnership with the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria (APSON), impacted 50 indigent child patients at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

APSON is the umbrella body of all Paediatric Surgeons in Nigeria engaged in the treatment of surgical issues in children, the education and training of specialists in Pediatric surgery, and the enhancement and preservation of the high standards and quality of surgical care provided to children.

This collaboration exemplifies NOVA’s unwavering commitment to community development and its dedication to impacting lives through its UPLIFT Initiative projects aimed at creating “Today’s solution for tomorrow’s sustainability (UPLIFT).”

Speaking on the motivation behind NOVA’s intervention, Nath Ude, managing director of NOVA Merchant Bank, said the bank envisions a future in which millions of people have free or low-cost access to healthcare and where unnecessary pain caused by preventable illnesses and untimely fatalities can be mitigated. The intervention, he explained, is a stride towards achieving the vision.

Ude noted that the impact of the project will echo through lifetimes to come, adding that, “No child should be deprived of their promising future due to a lack of healthcare accessibility.”

Emphasizing the pivotal role of NOVA’s intervention,  Roland Osuoji, the president of APSON, said, “In the past year, Lagos state heavily subsidized paediatric operations for children between the ages 0-12 which have resulted in a growing waiting list, stretching until 2025.” He added that, “This initiative not only reduces the backlog but also saves lives and offers hope to these deserving families.

Commenting on the patient selection process, Omolara Williams, the local organising committee chairman of the medical outreach, explained that the committee surveyed the group of patients from its database and pinpointed those who were on the waiting list due to financial constraints.

“We made every effort to contact as many of them as possible, and as a result, we now have patients ranging from 1 to 14 years old who will receive treatment for their pediatric conditions through this intervention,” she said.

Williams  further emphasised the need for continued regional and national initiatives like this to bridge the gap in paediatric surgical care accessibility.

Expressing appreciation for NOVA’s intervention,Adetokunbo Fabamwo the LASUTH chief medical director (CMD), Prof, said the collaboration reflects a shared vision of a healthier and brighter future for children in Nigeria.

Fabamwo further noted that NOVA’s meaningful impact is not just mending bodies but also building dreams.