Kumasi, Feb 17, GNA - A group of cardiologists from Cardiostart International, US, in collaboration with their counterparts at Komfo Anokye teaching Hospital (KATH) had performed free open-heart surgeries for six patients with heart diseases at the hospital.

This is the second time the KATH has performed such surgeries with support from Cardiostart International in a build up to establishing a cardiothoracic centre at the hospital.

Cardiostart that has been working with KATH to assist mostly poor heart patients, presented medical equipment, drugs and consumables worth 430,000 dollars to the hospital.

Dr Uday Dandekar, a member of the group, praised the ingenuity of the Ghanaian doctors and said the hospital had the potential to treat heart diseases in the West Africa sub-region.

He said open heart surgery was not common in developing countries but with the transfer of technology to Ghanaian local doctors, coupled with the infrastructure at the Accident and Emergency Unit, KATH could perform open heart surgeries in the near future.

Professor Ohene Adjei, Chief Executive of KATH, commended the group for their contribution to the development of health in the country and that the hospital was on course to start operating a cardiothoracic centre. 17 Feb. 10