JINJA Regional Referral Hospital (JRRH) in conjunction with Uganda Heart Institute (UHI), a specialized, public, tertiary care medical facility owned by the Ministry of Health on Monday 17th June, 2024 kicked off a five day cardiac surgery at the Jinja Hospital.
The surgery which is the first of its kind outside Kampala will see 11 children between the ages of seven months to five years who have been identified months ago by Dr Emmanuel Tenywa, a cardiologist at the hospital.
As part of his training and work, Dr Emmanuel Tenywa has been carrying out echocardiogram, usually shortened as “echo” for congenital heart defects in infants.
This means a small probe is used to send out high-frequency sound waves that create echoes when they bounce off different parts of the body of the patient under review.
The Director Jinja Regional Referral Hospital Dr Alfred Yayi says the Uganda Health Institute (UHI) Executive Director Dr John Omagino O.O John has assembled a team of 20 specialists to work closely with another set of experts from JRRH for the landmark medical activity that will end on Friday 21st June, 2024.
“…these are children born with heart defects like holes in the heart which require highly trained cardiologists together with support staff from here who have already started the surgery…”,Dr Alfred Yayi disclosed.
There are many children in Busoga who require the services of cardiologists but many are suffering in homes, with their parents hoping that, maybe one day some ‘miracle’ will come from somewhere and their children get help.
A team from UHI led by Dr John Omagino O.O John will hold a joint news conference with Dr Alfred Yayi of JRRH in the afternoon this Wednesday 19th June, 2024 at the Administration Boardroom to update members of the general public on the camp.
Emphasizing that the exercise is free, Dr Alfred Yayi says it’s in line with the vision and mission of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, which is being a regional centre of excellence in providing specialized and general health services for improved well being of the people of Busoga.
The mission is to increase access to all people in Busoga sub region to quality general and specialized health services based on their mandate to provide specialized and general health care, conduct training, research and support supervision to other health facilities in the region to improve quality of services.
What You Need To Know:
Uganda Heart Institute was established as an autonomous body by an Act of Parliament (The Uganda Heart Institute Act, 2016).
The Institute is now a super specialized leading provider of cardiovascular services and the only National Referral facility for heart diseases in Uganda.
Using a modest investment and an enabling legal framework, UHI has trained cardiac super specialists and installed a state of the Art Cardiac catheterization laboratory and operating theatre which have enabled them to conduct groundbreaking surgeries and interventions of World Class.
In order to improve access to heart care, UHI is developing capacity to operationalise regional centres in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Regional Referral Hospitals, hence the Jinja case now.
About 1% of children born in Busoga have heart related problems which require surgery.
Records available show that the region records about 200,000 births annually, meaning 1,000 of these children suffer congenital heart diseases; hence the need for a Regional Heart Institute to be able to adequately handle the ever swelling cases.
It’s not yet clear why more children are being born with congenital heart complications, but experts think genetics, certain medical conditions, some medications and environmental or lifestyle factors such as smoking may contribute. Research activities are ongoing, since there are also numerous types of heart defects.
Heart surgery is one of the most expensive medical treatments which Ugandans who can afford have been flying their patients to India, South Africa or other European countries with better health facilities.
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