Prof. John Okeniyi, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, has called for more investment in paediatric cardiac services to address the massive gap in care.
Okeniyi, a Professor of Paediatric Cardiology, made the call while delivering the 424th inaugural lecture of Obafemi Awolowo University, titled “State of the Heart: Echoes from Paediatrics, Pulsations and Purpose”, on Tuesday.
The paediatric cardiologist urged the Federal Government to prioritise paediatric cardiovascular healthcare nationwide.
“A nation that neglects the hearts of its children mortgages its future; a nation that protects them invests in its destiny,” the CMD stated.
The professor of paediatric cardiology emphasised that protecting children’s hearts remains an investment in the nation’s future.
Okeniyi described paediatrics as the branch of medicine devoted to the health of infants, children and adolescents. He explained that paediatric cardiology focuses on the developing heart — its structure, function, vulnerabilities, and remarkable capacity for recovery.
He explained that the “state of the heart” represents both the physical condition of a child’s heart and the professional journey that has shaped his clinical practice, research contributions, and lifelong commitment.
The CMD said he pioneered paediatric cardiology services in OAUTHC with a self-purchased electrocardiography machine and a portable echocardiography machine, which later evolved into a fully functional paediatric cardiac unit.
According to him, the unit now provides comprehensive echocardiography, arrhythmia diagnosis, neonatal cardiac assessment, perioperative evaluation, foetal diagnosis, and telecardiology services for patients within and outside the region.
The CMD also stated that collaboration with Prof. Uvie Onakpoya and Cardiac Eye International Foundation led to indigenous paediatric open-heart surgery in OAUTHC, positioning the facility among Nigeria’s foremost centres for paediatric cardiac surgery.
Okeniyi said his research demonstrated that Nigerian children face biological vulnerability, environmental adversity, and systemic neglect. He stressed that affordable, context-specific interventions could significantly improve survival in resource-constrained settings.
He noted that interventions such as honey dressings, papaya seeds, fresh plasma therapy, and improved neonatal resuscitation have shown life-saving potential when properly applied in appropriate clinical settings.
Okeniyi called for stronger primary healthcare systems to prevent neonatal tetanus, rheumatic fever, and delayed diagnosis of congenital heart disease through improved community-based maternal and child healthcare services.
He also advocated for expanded newborn screening, increased investment in paediatric cardiac services, establishment of catheterisation laboratories and surgical centres, and continuous training of paediatric cardiologists, cardiac nurses, and other specialists.
The paediatric cardiologist further recommended establishing a national paediatric cardiovascular registry, integrating mental health into paediatric care, promoting culturally appropriate evidence-based remedies, and discouraging harmful traditional practices.
He proposed establishing a Centre of Excellence in Paediatric Cardiology at OAUTHC, expanding telecardiology networks, supporting indigenous diagnostic innovations, and strengthening neonatal cardiovascular research across Nigeria.
Okeniyi urged government, policymakers, development partners, and healthcare professionals to work collectively to ensure that no Nigerian child dies from a treatable heart condition.
