Nakesero Hospital opens hybrid cardiac cath lab

HEALTH |

Nakasero Hospital has unveiled a new hybrid cardiac catheterisation lab, that is expected to save Ugandans the cost of travelling abroad to seek cardiovascular services.

The facility, opened on Friday by Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, is the first private cath lab in Uganda and the second in the country after the one owned by Uganda Heart Institute (UHI), Mulago.

The lab will help lead to more effective procedures and quicker recovery times by combining traditional diagnostic abilities of a cath lab with the surgical functions of an operating room.

"As government we are proud of such investments by the private sector. We believe the lab will reduce the numbers of people who travel abroad for these services," Rugunda said.

He noted that the facility will reduce the congestion of heart patients at the Heart Institute where they have to wait for up to six months to be screened in the lab.

"When you see the congestion at UHI, you realise the need for more services in the country. Efforts are being made to increase these services and we call on the private sector to support us," Rugunda said.

He said the Government has offered 10 acres of land to the Uganda Heart Institute at Naguru, Kampala for its expansion.

The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is rising fast in low-income countries such as Uganda and they will be the leading cause of death by 2030. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart diseases, account for 30% of NCD deaths.

Rugunda urged Ugandans to do routine medical checks to prevent severe complications.

The health ministry permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, said the opening of the lab at Nakasero is in line with the Government's vision of minimising health referrals abroad.




Dr Simon Luzige, the chief executive officer of Nakasero Hospital, assured Ugandans of affordable quality healthcare services at the facility.

"Quality healthcare is key as we try to treat and manage such health conditions in Uganda," Luzige said.

"I want to promise Ugandans that we shall work with UHI to make these services affordable for our patients," he added.

Medical charges

Luzige said having such a facility is key in the management and treating of cardiovascular diseases which do not need delays in handling them.

He revealed that the lab has capacity to handle 10 patients per day and will have dedicated cardiologists.

The hospital spokesperson, Julius Mugisha, said the cost of cath lab procedures at UHI ranges between sh5m-sh15m depending on severity of the complication. Abroad the same procedure is about 30-40% more expensive plus expenditure on travel and accommodation. He said Nakasero shall provide the service at a cost relative to UHI.

Cveta Shirazi, the executive director of Pacific Diagnostics, the company which installed the lab equipment, said this lab is aimed at screening inside the body without having open-heart surgery and unblock blocked blood vessels.

"Many people have been travelling abroad for open-heart surgery, but now it can be done here," Shirazi said.

What is a cardiac cath lab?

A cardiac catheterisation lab, also known as a "cardiac cath lab," is a special hospital room where doctors perform minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease.

The procedures almost always involve tiny, flexible tubes,

(catheters), which can be used instead of surgery, to access the heart and blood vessels.

A cath lab has special imaging equipment used to see the arteries and check how well blood is flowing to and from the heart. This information helps the care team to diagnose and treat blockages and other problems in the arteries.