By Kiyimba Bruno
Kiyimba.bruno@gmail.com
The Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) of Mulago in quest for USD65m to enable them acquire a standalone home where all issues concerning the heart shall be handled from.
This was revealed by the Executive Director UHI Dr John O. O. Omagino in a press conference that took place at the institute board room in Mulago.
Dr. Omagino said that in-spite of the fact that the land is available and all plans are made they lack adequate funds to come up with the standards that they need.
According to Omagino, the capacity of UHI to operate on 1000 cases in the Catheterization Laboratory and Operating theatre, only 50% is utilized due to inadequate funding.
“The institute has a big backlog of over 500 patients waiting for surgery and booking for elective cases is at one year.”Noted Omagino.
Here Dr. Omagino called upon government to address the over increasing national demand which is estimated at 8000 babies and 2000 adults annually.
Dr. Omagino said that to date the institute can comprehensively handle 95% of the adult cases including Valve and Coronary Bypass Surgery and 85% of the same cases in children.
He continued to say that if the necessary operational funds are available, the named cases can be handled very well.
The unit cost for the comprehensive care that includes diagnostic, innervations in the Catheterization Laboratory and operating theatre as well as subsequent care in the intensive care unit ranges between USD5’000 and 8,000.
When compared with referring patients abroad which is USD20, 000 to USD30,000 is very low.
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