Twenty-two patients with severe heart rhythm disorders have received life-saving cardiac device procedures worth about GH¢2 million through a partnership between the Mount Carmel Foundation, the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) and Africa World Airlines.
The procedures were carried out during a five-day medical mission by a team of specialists from Ghana and the United States.
Speaking at a debriefing session after the mission, the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr. Kow Entsua-Mensah, said the success of the programme was made possible through teamwork involving cardiac surgeons, cardiologist-electrophysiologists, anaesthesiologists, nurses, radiographers, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists and other support staff.
He explained that the close collaboration among the different teams enabled them to manage the complex procedures safely, adding that all 22 patients recovered well and were ready to be discharged by the end of the mission.
Dr. Entsua-Mensah said the partnership between the Ghanaian and American medical teams would continue beyond the outreach programme.
According to him, the collaboration will not only provide specialised treatment for patients but also strengthen local expertise through training and knowledge sharing to improve advanced cardiac care in Ghana.
He also assured patients who were unable to undergo the procedures during the mission that they would still receive treatment at the Cardio Centre when they are ready.
One of the beneficiaries, Juliet Asabea Awuku, who was living with heart failure caused by peripartum cardiomyopathy, said the successful Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) device procedure had given her a new chance at life.
She expressed gratitude to the medical teams from Ghana and the United States for the support, saying the financial relief from the intervention had lifted a huge burden from her family.
“My family and I are profoundly grateful to the dedicated local medical team here in Ghana, as well as the diaspora specialists who travelled to support us. May God richly bless you all for your gift of health and hope,” she said.
The team lead from the Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Kamel Addo, said the mission focused on providing advanced procedures, including Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) and left bundle branch area pacing for patients with severe heart rhythm abnormalities who could not afford such treatment.
He praised the staff of the National Cardiothoracic Centre for their discipline, professionalism and teamwork, saying their commitment made it possible to complete all the procedures within the five-day period.
Dr. Addo added that support from the Mount Carmel Foundation helped reduce the cost of the devices and procedures, making specialised cardiac care accessible to patients who would otherwise have been unable to pay for the treatment.
By: Jacob Aggrey