Uganda heart institute carries out 128 heart operations

May 13, 2013

The Uganda heart Institute has operated on 128 major heart surgeries and catheterization lab procedures since last year. Out of 128 patients with heart defects 26 were children.

By Violet Nabatanzi

The Uganda heart Institute has operated on 128 major heart surgeries and catheterization lab procedures since last year. Out of 128 patients with heart defects 26 were children.

 Speaking to Journalists at Uganda heart Institute Mulago , a senior Consultant Cardiologist Dr.William Nyakoojo said it is now one year since the institute started carrying out the catheterization procedures.

He added that this has reduced on the number of heart patients going abroad for heart surgeries.

 He also said a patient who is supposed to undergo this procedure at the institute is supposed to pay about Sh 7m.

Cardiac catheterization is the procedure of getting information about the heart or its blood vessels or to provide treatment in certain types of heart conditions.

 The catheterization machine helps doctors to carry out full investigations of the heart before going ahead with the surgeries.

Nyakoojo said a patient is supposed to stay at the ward for only two days after the procedure is carried out.

He revealed that there are other procedures the machine is supposed to carry out but because of lack of enough manpower, they wait for visiting cardiologists for help.

 “There’re procedures which our machine can handle but because we are lacking manpower some of them we carry out when we have visiting cardiologists,” Nyakoojo explained.

 “We anticipate in the near future we shall start closing even the holes in the heart using the catheterization equipment,” Nyakoojo added.

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