The Blantyre Adventist Hospital in collaboration with Hearts for mission international have launched the first ever open heart surgery in Malawi
The Deputy minister of health Halima Daud, paid a visit at the Blantyre Adventist Hospital on Thursday to appreciate the services being offered and encourage the patients.
Speaking in an interview the minister expressed excitement over the launch of the open heart surgeries and procedures saying this will help the government save over 100 million Malawi Kwacha which is used to refer patients to hospitals abroad for treatment.
”The governement has been spending a lot of money to send patients to India for sugeries, so as a country we are very excited for the whole thing as it will happen right here,” said Daud.
Over 20 Surgeons from the united sates of America and Kenya are currently in the country conducting a cardiology camp under the hearts for mission international and have carried out two first ever open heart surgeries.
In his remarks the Chief executive officer for hearts for mission international, Mr Jason Blanchard said he was glad that the team managed to successfully conduct surgeries on two patients and said the organization is ready to work with Malawian surgeons to continue carrying out these surgeries.
Said Blanchard; ”This is the first camp, and we wanted to do this twice a year but we want to do more than two times, perhaps make it permanent. Its important that we can laverage the capacity of Malawians to be able to manage this, as at the end of the day when we leave we will need Malawians to be involved.”
He further said Malawi was the first country the team thought of and its upon their hearts to help save Malawians who are undergoing heart complications.
The CEO of Blantyre Adventist hospital Kirby Kasinja expressed his excitement and thanked the team for cooperating with the ministry of health to bring the service in the country.
He added that he is glad that the operations will now be conducted twice every year in the country and was optimistic that in the near future it will be permanently established.
Commenting on the matter one of the doctors directly involved in the surgeries, Dr Ferkado from Ethiopian said he was glad that some of the patients that have been operated are currently doing well and have been put under strong machinery and medication to help them recover.
Ferkado added that a total of ten patients are expected to benefit from the camp of doctors that are currently in the country to lender these services.
Reported by Alex Splendor Ngulube
