By Ojoma Akor
The Fibroid Care Centre of the Nordica Fertility Centre, Abuja has successfully treated over 100 women for uterine fibroids using High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).
Chief executive officer of the centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, disclosed this during a virtual press conference organized by the centre to commemorate one year anniversary of HIFU treatment at the Abuja fibroid care centre.
HIFU is a form of treatment that converts waves of ultrasound energy to heat to burn off fibroids.
Dr Ajayi said the treatment option saves patients from complications associated with surgery and other methods.
He said, “We have treated 100 patients in Abuja using HIFU, all successful treatments. We started in July 2024 and as of now, we have treated 101 patients in total. We felt it was worth sharing our experience, because in Lagos we have treated over 670 patients.
“HIFU is available in Abuja, it is functional, and it will continue to serve patients. But awareness remains very low in spite of the advantages that HIFU has over other procedures. Nigerians need to know about this technology. We hate hearing that women are dying from fibroids when, with HIFU, many of those deaths are preventable. Our message today is clear: women should not have to die from fibroids when safer treatment exists.”
He also said that the centre provides psychological support for some patients whose quality of life has been affected by fibroids.
He further said that globally, HIFU is being studied for different conditions, adding, “and as we continue to grow capacity, we will explore how Nigerians can also benefit from its wider applications.”
He said that Nordica is part of a global HIFU network, comprising about 40 countries that do HIFU in the world, and that they meet every two years to exchange experiences.
He said, “There is a teaching hospital in China dedicated only to HIFU. They do the core research, and we share our clinical experiences. Research is ongoing at Oxford University in the UK as well, where trials are exploring applications in cancer drug delivery. So we are part of a family. Even our results are part of the global report, and the 2024 newsletter shows HIFU is making significant progress.”
Dr Ajayi also said that inclusion of fibroid treatment in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will go a long way to increase access.
He said, “The direction to go is health insurance, and it is a government responsibility. If the government expands health insurance, healthcare will become more affordable for Nigerians. We at Nordica took loans to acquire these machines, and even now we heavily subsidize the treatments. We have even given free treatments to some patients. For wider access, the government and the NHIA need to get involved.”
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the centre, Dr John Bakut, said no death and serious complications were recorded for the over 100 HIFU treatments carried out at the centre.
He said many women desire HIFU treatment for fibroids and adenomyosis but are constrained by cost. He also called for government’s support in making the procedure more widely accessible.
