M a r k e t N e w s
Tanzania: Local Hospital Conducts 20 Heart Surgeries, Saves Patients $1.5 Million
Posted on : Thursday, 16th February 2017
Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in partnership with India's BLK Super Specialist Hospital has conducted 20 heart surgeries, saving over 340m/- that could have been spent in undertaking the operations abroad.
JKCI Director of Cardiology Peter Kisenge said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the patients with mitral stenosis complications were attended to during a two-day camp that saw other patients undergoing special screening for heart veins and arteries.
Dr Kisenge said that out of the 20 patients, some were operated due to heart valve and veins complications while others were implanted with peacemakers. He explained that the operations would have cost 500m/- if the patients were referred to India since each one could have paid 25m/- but at JKCI the cost per patient was 8m/-.
One of the patients, Monica Mahenge from Tanga Region who was suffering from mitral stenosis said that she was facing breathing problem, which was related to asthma, but after attending clinic at the JKCI she was diagnosed with heart valve complication.
"I thank God that I am now doing fine, I have suffered from this complication for about 15 years," she said. Meanwhile, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) in collaboration with Indian specialists also conducted a surgery camp for patients with spine complications.
Speaking to journalists, Head of the Neurosurgery firm II at MOI, Dr Nicephorus Rutabansibwa, said that the camp was conducted, thanks to training cooperation on shared experience and capacity building between the two institutions.
He said over 100 patients benefited from the camp, with some receiving consultation services as others were diagnosed and attended the clinic by the local doctors in collaboration with specialists from India.
Dr Rutabansibwa noted that the number of patients with spinal complications has been increasing due to a myriad of reasons, including traffic accidents, biological factors like cancer, tuberculosis and other diseases.
A group of doctors from BLK Super Specialist Hospital led by Dr Puneet Girdhar, Spinal Surgeon commended MOI for improved infrastructure. MOI has been collaborating with various international institutions to improve services and build capacity to its health personnel to reduce the number of people seeking the services abroad.
Source : allafrica.com
