Mulago To Start Heart Surgery

By Charles Ariko THE Director of Mulago Hospital, Dr. Lawrence Kaggwa, has said the hospital will soon start performing open-heart surgery. Kaggwa said a heart and lung machine for the theatre had been acquired and was awaiting installation. He said three surgeons had been trained for the job. Kaggwa who was on Thursday briefing journalists on the achievements of the hospital against what he called "negative press reports," said when the theatre becomes operational, most of the cases being referred to India and South African hospitals will be handled at Mulago. He said currently, patients requiring open-heart surgery pay between US$9,000-10,000 (about sh17.5m) when they go abroad for the operation. Kaggwa said the establishment of the theatre would reduce the cost of the operation to about US$3,500 (about sh6m). A specialist heart surgeon from Madras Medical Mission in India, Prof. K.M Cherian, is expected in the country to carry out the first ever open-heart surgery in Uganda. Ends