37 Military Hospital performs first heart surgery

Accra, Jan. 20, GNA -The 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Monday performed its first heart surgery at the Cardiac Centre of the hospital.

A statement signed by Lieutenant Commander V. Arhin for the Director of Public Relations on Wednesday said the surgery was performed by two cardiac surgeons, Professor Charles Yankah of the German Institute of Berlin, Germany, and Professor Michael Weyand of the Centre of Cardiac Surgery, University of Erlangen, Germany, on a three-month-old baby, Danielle Opare who had a hole in the heart.

He is in stable condition and responding to treatment in the Intensive Care Unit and is expected to recover after a week. The statement said the cardiac surgery machines were donated by the German Heart Institute of Berlin, Germany, and the heart lung machine by the Rotary Club in Germany.

The Head of Surgery at the Hospital and Co-ordinator of the Post-graduate College, Lt. Col. Dr Sunny Mante, said the surgery showed the commitment and seriousness of the medical institution to help reduce deaths associated with cardiac diseases. He said the team of cardiac surgeons was expected to fly to Ghana every three months to take care of outstanding cases related to heart diseases.

Residents at the Post-graduate College would also be trained as cardiac surgeons to have a strong team to fully manage the cardiac Centre.