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AN OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE PAEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
ISSN 03 02 4660
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| Niger J Paed 2014; 41 (3):155 - 157 | |
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REVIEW ARTICLE The practice of paediatric cardiology in Nigeria: A Review |
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Chinawa JM DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njp.v41i3,1 Accepted: 11th February 2014 Chinawa JM Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria/Teaching Hospital, PMB 01129,Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. Postal Code 400001 |
Abstract Background: The practice of Paediatric cardiology in Nigeria is at its early phase and it is being choked in an environment overwhelmed with economic, ethnic and political issues. Paediatric cardiology covers a broad area of medicine. This includes diagnosis, medical treatment, interventional cardiology, prenatal diagnosis and surgery. It will also not thrive without a high level of infrastructure manned by personnel with advanced training and expertise. Regretably, the manpower and infrastructure that are needed is grossly inadequate in Nigeria. For the practice of paediatric cardiology to gain ground, a well knitted corroborative mechanism involving the government and hospital authorities must be endorsed Methods: A search for published works on practice of paediatrc cardiology in Nigeria was performed using Google and Pub Med. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was also searched. The areas of focus were historical facts, burden of the problem, organization, factors militating Paediatric cardiology practice in Nigeria and the way forward. Results and Conclusions: Contrary to what is widely believed in many quarters, though erroneously, there is overwhelming evidence that the practice of paediatric cardiology has left much to bedesired. Keywords: paediatric cardiology; Nigeria; manpower; infrastructure |