Professor Titus Kofi Beyuo, Board Chairman of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has disclosed that more than 80 Ghanaians, including over 30 children, have benefited from complex cardiac procedures at the National Cardiothoracic Centre.
He said the procedures gave patients access to specialised heart treatment previously unavailable in the country.
110 children benefit from Ghana Medical Trust Fund as cardiac care expands
Prof Beyuo disclosed while addressing the media after the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health visited the centre to assess its operations.
“We are delighted, and I'm happy to announce on behalf of management that since the start of this centre, 80 Ghanaians, over 80 Ghanaians have benefited, including children; more than 30 children have benefited from complex cardiac procedures otherwise not available in this country,” he said.
He explained that patients had travelled from different parts of Ghana to access the services, with Africa World Airlines and Mahama Care supporting some patients from the northern part of the country.
“At the initial stages, Africa World helped us transport patients from Tamale, those from the northern sector, and bring them down here for this surgery, and Mahama Care paid for their care and Africa World supported their flights, and we are grateful to all of them,” he stated.
Prof Beyuo described the centre's achievements as evidence of Ghana's capacity to deliver specialised healthcare but called for increased investment in training specialists to expand access to treatment.
He said management was working to establish teams that could operate similar centres in Tamale and at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, adding that personnel from the facilities could be trained by the Korle Bu heart team.
However, he stressed that practical experience was critical to developing the expertise required to handle complex procedures.
“Ultimately, we need high volumes of patients to be able to train them, so I call on the Ghana Medical Trust and all other well-meaning Ghanaians to help us take these people out of the country to centres that are doing these cases frequently, several cases a day,” he said.
According to him, specialists could receive intensive training abroad and return to Ghana to provide the needed services.
He also rejected concerns that sending medical professionals abroad for specialised training would lead to brain drain.
“We can make a strong case that people who get this training do not undergo brain drain; they do not run away. None of the cardiothoracic surgeons or cardiologists trained in this country so far has left,” he added.
Prof Beyuo further explained that the National Cardiothoracic Centre was a multidisciplinary facility that handled conditions affecting both the heart and blood vessels.
He said the centre brought together cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, neurologists and interventional radiologists to provide specialised care.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama for supporting the initiative and expressed confidence in the centre's capacity to manage patients with complex cardiovascular conditions.
The cath lab was built by ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group as part of efforts to strengthen access to specialised cardiovascular care in Ghana.
NA/BAI
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