Ex-Super Eagles Legend Calls for Proactive Measures to Curb Heart Diseases

….. Onuokaibe urges state governors to emulate Governor Peter Mbah’s healthcare revolution.”

In a bid to carry out more sensitization on heart diseases and aid his campaign against heart failure, Nigerian football legend, Kanu Nwankwo, has called on everyone to prioritize their health at all times, especially by giving prompt attention to symptoms of heart diseases.

The ex-Arsenal, Ajax, Inter Milan, and Portsmouth FC player gave this advice on Monday in Port Harcourt during the Kanu Heart Foundation walk, an event that is held on the 29th of September every year to celebrate World Heart Day.

He stated that the organization uses the walk to sensitize, educate, and enlighten people about heart failure symptoms and solutions in order to avoid preventable deaths caused by cardiac arrests among the population.

“We are using this walk to sensitize, educate, and enlighten people about the importance of taking care of their hearts. We have done this for over five years now. We started in Lagos, did one in Ghana, another one in Lagos, went to Abuja, did one there, came to Enugu, and did one. Last year was in Aba, Abia State, and this year is in Rivers State. Next year is going to be in another city.

“We are holding this year’s event in Rivers because it is one of the biggest cities in Nigeria, and we focus on areas where a large number of people will hear our message and spread it to others.”

He stated that the inspiration behind this yearly event is a way of maximizing the activities done by the Kanu Heart Foundation, which was established in 2000 to help people with life-threatening heart challenges. He added that, so far, the foundation has performed 670 open-heart surgeries on patients across the globe.

“The walk is inspired by the need to improve awareness of heart-related issues, which the Kanu Heart Foundation has been addressing for decades. The organization has so far performed 670 open-heart surgeries on different individuals across the globe, thus saving their lives. So, anything that has to do with the heart, the Kanu Heart Foundation always wants to be part of it. It is a good thing to celebrate what we are doing.”

The Nigerian legend also appreciated the partners for their commitment to ensuring that the vision of the organization to save lives is sustained.

He called on the government and other stakeholders, both in the health sector and beyond, to support the program and help save lives, adding that the organization is open to partnerships and sponsorships.

“We are very grateful to all our partners for their support. We thank some state governments who have also supported what we are doing, as well as others in the sporting, legal, media, health, and other fields. What we are doing is not religious or political because sickness doesn’t care about your place of worship, tribe, or political party affiliation. We are open to partnerships and sponsorships with any individual, organization, group, or government because what we do is about humanity. The 670 lives that we have saved aren’t from any special corner. We also have those on the waiting list, and whoever calls us, we will partner with them because we want to help save more lives.”

However, reports have it that Kanu Nwankwo, who made over 400 career appearances in football, was born with a congenital heart defect, which impeded his aortic valve from closing properly. It was discovered and operated on in 1996. Although it was feared that he would not play again and that it would affect his career, he made a full recovery. He undergoes an annual medical check-up for the condition. In March 2014, he successfully underwent corrective heart surgery again in the United States.

Kanu’s own experience with a congenital heart defect moved him to set up the “Kanu Heart Foundation” in 2000, a foundation that aims to tackle homelessness and which also built five hospitals in Africa to treat children with undiagnosed heart disease and provide them with surgery.

Nevertheless, the Kanu Heart Foundation was established to help underprivileged African children and young adults living with different heart ailments in Nigeria and other African countries obtain the cardiac surgeries needed. This journey began in England, where the first two beneficiaries of the foundation, Master Oluwatofunmi Okude and little Miss Enitan Adesola, were operated on at Crown Hospital, London, in 2000.

Addressing the newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer of First Choice Afro Villa Ltd and Mburubu Construction Company Ltd, High Chief Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe, extolled the ex-football veteran for his willingness to help humanity, adding that his companies will continue to partner with the organization to save more lives.

Dr. Onuokaibe also commended the efforts of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State in the health sector. He highlighted the ongoing construction of the 250-bed, ultra-modern quaternary health facility known as the Enugu International Hospital, calling it a landmark achievement for any governor in West Africa.

He further explained that the hospital, when completed, would promote medical tourism to the state and enable advanced surgeries for complex health issues, particularly heart-related conditions.

“I commend Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State for spearheading the construction of the largest hospital in West Africa, the Enugu International Hospital. This facility will include a state-of-the-art cardiology department capable of treating chronic heart diseases and performing advanced surgeries. It showcases the governor’s determination and commitment to improving healthcare and leaving a lasting impact.”

“Imagine if similar efforts were undertaken by governors across the country—there would undoubtedly be a positive shift.”

Some dignitaries present were Super Eagles legends Emmanuel Emenike, Obinna Nwaneri, Uche Okechukwu, business mogul and CEO of Spotter Construction Company, Engr. Stanley Ani, among others.