Empowering Pediatric Cardiac Care: DIOMH Nursing Training Program Featured in Leading Medical Journal

We are thrilled to announce the publication of a powerful and impactful article in the World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, co-authored by Dr. Adrian Halloway (Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA), our very own Dr. Chimaobi Nwagboso, and Head Nurse Faustina Njoku.

The article spotlights a groundbreaking Cardiovascular ICU nursing training program hosted at Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital (DIOMH). 

This initiative was designed to strengthen the capacity of nurses caring for children undergoing congenital heart surgery—particularly in low-resource settings.

Led by a multidisciplinary team of professionals from the University of Maryland, Mount Sinai Hospital New York, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the VOOM Foundation, the training focused on equipping local healthcare workers with critical, lifesaving skills.

Training Topics Included:

• Core principles of pediatric cardiac care
  
• Management of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
  
• Care for patients with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
  
• Hands-on and remote simulation training using mannequins

Program Impact:

• 11 DIOMH nurses received advanced ICU training
  
• Over 50 student nurses participated, representing top Nigerian institutions including:
  
  • UNTH Cardiac School
    
  • UCH Ibadan
    
  • National University Abuja
    
  • Lagos State University (LASU)
    
  • And others
    

This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing specialized pediatric care and fostering sustainable healthcare solutions across Africa.

Read the full article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/21501351251322157