The National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has successfully performed five open-heart surgeries and 22 keyhole procedures at no cost for children weighing less than six kilogrammes.

This initiative, aimed at enhancing patient care and improving cardiac care standards for children with heart conditions in Ghana, was made possible through the sponsorship of the Germany-based charity organisation, KinderHerzen International, and the Gerald Asamoah Foundation.

Kinderherzen International focuses on providing life-saving heart surgeries to children in less-developed countries who suffer from congenital heart diseases and lack the financial means for treatment. Similarly, the Gerald Asamoah Foundation, established by Ghanaian-born former German footballer, Gerald Asamoah, also provides heart surgeries for children in West Africa.

More than 40 heart specialists from both organisations arrived in Ghana last Sunday, bringing with them a range of heart surgery equipment and consumables to carry out the procedures for the selected beneficiaries.

Assistance

In a media briefing last Friday, the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, said the successful surgeries were made possible through the immense support of Kinderherzen International and the Gerald Asamoah Foundation.

He praised both organisations for their generosity in supplying, not only the necessary equipment, but also enough consumables to continue supporting additional patients even after this mission was completed.

"We want to make it clear to the nation that through collaboration with our partners, these surgeries were done free of charge to all the patients involved - five open heart surgeries have been done and 22 keyhole procedures have also been done," he said.

"We achieved these free surgeries by the support of the Asamoah Foundation and Kinderherzen who have brought equipment and a lot of consumables. I also need to make it clear that they have brought more than what is needed for this mission alone and they have brought us a lot that we will continue using for patients even after they have gone," he said.

Timely intervention

Dr Entsua-Mensah added that the centre intended to provide timely intervention for children with heart diseases by providing medication, minimally evasive procedures and surgeries.

He also said the centre made a prompt investment in equipment worth approximately $80,000, "so that we wouldn't have to charge any patient for their treatment."

"Our goal over all is that every child in Ghana who is born with a heart disease will have timely intervention. Every child means that there should be no hindrance - no equipment hindrance, no human resource hindrance and most importantly no financial hindrance," he said.

"Once you are born and it is determined that you need intervention it should be given. Intervention can be in the form of medication, minimally evasive procedures and it can also be in the form of close heart surgery or open heart surgery. Every child who needs this intervention must have it," he added.

Other countries

For her part, Head of Kinderherzen International, Anja Schlarb, expressed her joy at finally bringing the project to Ghana, after having travelled to several other countries to offer support.

"We have worked in about nine countries, collaborating on heart disease projects in places like Eritrea, El Salvador and Burundi. I’m truly happy that we are now here in Ghana," she said.

"So many nurses and doctors here are doing such a great job and I think together we can make something very big here at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, especially for the very small children. I hope that we can make life-changing moments here for the kids," she added.