Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is set to make an appearance for the first time at the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery to be held in the United States beginning next week amid revelations that about 700 people are on the waiting list for open heart surgery that is offered at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.
The congress takes place once every four years.
The country is expected to send a team of cardiologists that will represent it and exchange notes with others as it seeks to improve itself in that area of medical specialty.
Dr Simukai Machawira a specialist Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon from Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals said the opportunity would be a life-changing experience for the surgeons and the health sector.
“This is an opportunity for us to interact with colleagues who are performing cardiac surgery regularly in their countries and we can learn from them on how successful programmes in this area work. We have been faced with the challenge of equipment, expertise and consumables when we are doing these procedures but at this world congress, you find that there will be exhibitions of these things and we can strike agreements and even get discounts when we want to source them from those markets so it is beneficial that we attend,” said Dr Machawira.
He said medical technology evolves regularly and Zimbabwe’s representation in the US cardiology congress would open them up to the latest trends.
“This congress will also be an opportunity to learn new technologies in this field because what happens is that when you do not perform these surgeries often you assume things are stagnant but in actual fact there will be many developments as time moves so it is vital to go and catch up on latest information, trends and developments in this field.
“Since it is a world congress it means the rest of the world will be there making it an ideal time to share ideas and best practices from people who have similar cases like ours and learn how they manage situations. Our eyes will be opened to new developments in cardiology,” added Dr Machawira.
Zimbabwe last performed open heart surgery in October 2018 and only resumed in June this year after a five-year hiatus. About 700 people in Zimbabwe are on the waiting list for open heart surgery with Parirenyatwa being the only institution that offers the surgeries in the country.
Local Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) advocate Ms Tenday Moyo of Brave Little Hearts Zimbabwe (BLHZ), an organisation that raises awareness on heart conditions in children has also been invited to attend the congress.
The Global Alliance for Rheumatic and Congenital Hearts awarded Ms Moyo a grant to attend the congress in the US.
Ms Moyo has been working with Novick Cardiac Alliance and BLHZ to provide medicines for the children in southern Zimbabwe and cardiac monitors for Mpilo Central Hospital to improve the care of children with heart diseases.
The congress is expected to afford representatives in the cardiac sector with an opportunity to network with over 30 non-profit organisations that might potentially assist in the development of paediatric cardiac care in Zimbabwe.
The World Congress is the premier event for pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery worldwide.
Zimbabwe has been making strides to reduce the number of patients leaving the country to seek medical attention in other countries by improving its health services.
Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) director Mr Itai Rusike said the state of health was linked to the national socio-economic conditions and development paradigms.
“The current situation is such that the capacity of public health facilities to screen, diagnose and manage the communicable and non-communicable diseases and conditions (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, injuries, cancer, mental health) through the training of health care workers, procurement of diagnostic equipment and consumables as well as advocacy towards healthy lifestyles has remained a challenge,” he said.
Mr Rusike added that the healthcare workforce which was the bedrock of effective and efficient healthcare systems continued to suffer significant disturbances, yet they remained invisible and suffer vulnerabilities including the Covid-19 impact on them.
He said the country was sure to rise against the hurdles as it had set itself to regain the glory of yesteryear by setting 2030 goals for its development.
Mr Lemson Machibiza the principal consultant of the African Centre for Global Health Innovation and Research (ACGHIR) said Zimbabwe had a pool of experts that were able to carry out complex cardiac procedures and were working on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) with organisations involved in surgical heart procedures that would like to have those done locally to reduce the cost of treatment for Zimbabweans.
A large number of Zimbabweans are being forced to travel to India and South Africa for cardiac procedures at a large cost. However, the cardiology congress in the US will equip local experts with the latest technologies in dealing with heart conditions and also the possibility for cooperation with other stakeholders in the first world countries who are experts in the field.
Online Reporter