Cardio Centre performs 400 surgeries annually – Prof Frimpong-Boateng

Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, said on the average the National Cardiothoracic Centre performed 400 heart surgeries per year.

He said this was far below the World Health Organisation’s standard of 400 per every 1,000,000 of the population segment; declaring that in line with this and Ghana’s population of 24 million, the Centre was supposed to be performing at least 9,600 cardio surgeries per year; however the Cardio Centre remains the best in the West Africa Sub-Region.

He said most of the surgeries were funded by the Ghana Heart Foundation (GHF).

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said this on Friday at the launch of the Ghana Heart Foundation’s 2013 Fundraising Campaign, on the theme: “With You”.

The GHF was incorporated in 1989 with laudable objectives among which were educating the Ghanaian public on diseases of the heart and related organs and assisting needy patients who need heart surgery.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said with the assistance of their cherished donors and partners and the media, the Foundation had made palpable impact on the lives and minds of many Ghanaians.

He said beginning this year the GHF would step up its efforts in helping needy patients as well as embarking on education campaigns to address many existing challenges and future threats to the cardiovascular health of Ghanaians.

“These threats are related to changing lifestyle and harmful practices prevalent in our society, we all know about smoking, lack of exercise, high calories and high fat diets, obesity, failure to check blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

“The Foundation will address the issue of smoking of cigarettes and marijuana especially among the youths.

“On the question of smoking the Foundation will also address the harmful effects of other types of smoke, which are often not considered when the question of smoking is being addressed; these include smoke in homes where firewood and charcoal are the sources of fuel and also smoking emanating from the burning of mosquito coils,” Prof Frimpong-Boateng said.

He said the GHF, working with research institutions especially those in food research, would look at the diet and dietary practices of Ghanaians, especially food given to children.

He said recommendations would be made with regards to food from local sources that were good, affordable and balanced for consumption by children.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said: “It is known that harmful chemicals that can cause cancer leech into food served in plastic bags and other plastic products and it is the responsibility of institutions such as the GHF to address such issues and draw the attention of Ghanaians in general and policy makers in particular to them”.

He said the Foundation would also look into the effect of chemicals in dyes used in the tie and dye industry on those engaged in their production.

He said the GHF would take health education closer to its cherished partners and in this regards, it would broadly spread the technique of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in Ghana.

“CPR is employed in reviving the heart and lungs in situations where the functions of the heart and lungs are severely compromised such as heart attack, lightning strike, among others, in which the victim’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped.

“The GHF believes that every Ghanaian of sound mind capable of moderate physical activity should know how to perform CPR so as they can resuscitate people in their schools, homes, work places and outside the homes,” he said.

Mr William Adom, Business Development Manager of Evoke Experiential Ghana Ltd, coordinators of the fundraising, said the theme: “With you” is a call for support and assurance for support.

He said the theme suggested partnership and urged individuals, corporate institutions and groups to help raise the needed fund to support the cause of the GHF.

Individuals who want to contribute could text “life” to SMS short code 1766 and this would attract a deduction of 0.60 pesewa.

Mr Adom said standing order forms are available on their website and could be printed out and the details included the amount one wished to donate over a period of time which could be sent to the person’s bank for it to be effected.

He noted that GHF “giving-boxes” would be placed at strategic places such as the banks and worships places to enable people who are willing to support to contribute.

The GHF presented two children to the press; one with a hole in heart condition and the other  recovering from the hole in heart surgery.

Source: GNA