US medical team performs free heart surgery for children at Komfo Anokye Hospital

A  27 – member medical team from the Children’s Hospital of Boston in the United States of America (USA) in collaboration with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, is performing free surgical services to correct congenital heart defects of 14 underprivileged children in the country.

The children were between the ages of three and thirteen, and eight children with the condition have successfully undergone surgery whiles the remaining six were expected to go through it in the next five days.

At a short ceremony to interact with the team on Wednesday,  the Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, expressed appreciation to the team and called for more assistance in terms of equipment and infrastructure to fully develop a Cardio Centre at the hospital to help reduce congestion at the Cardiothoracic Centre at thr Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The Senior Associate of Cardiology of the Children’s’ Hospital of Boston, Dr Ravi Thiagarajan, said the programme that started five years ago would be  performed annually.

He said the surgery which would have cost about GH¢12,000 per child would help bring relief to underprivileged children who suffer various congenital diseases.

Additionally, it would enable the team and the KATH health personnel share ideas and expertise.

Dr Baafour Awuah, Medical Director at KATH, called for assistance from other philanthropists and individuals to help train more anesthetics, nurses and heart surgeons.

He said KATH was planning to establish a foundation to solicit funds to perform surgeries for under privileged children, and called on the public to support the initiative when it becomes operational.

Source: GNA