Three successful pacemaker insertion procedures have been carried out at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) by a team of cardiologists from Columbus, Ohio, in the United States, and their Ghanaian counterparts.
A pacemaker insertion is the implantation of a tiny electronic device to assist control slow electrical cardiac issues. It is often done in the chest, somewhat below the collarbone.
In collaboration with Pace4life, the Tamale Teaching Hospital performed the historic surgery.
The group included scrub nurses, radiology technicians, anesthesiologists, and cardiologists.
Dr. Kamel Addo, the team leader from Columbus, Ohio, explained to Ghanaian press that the surgery involved implanting the pacemaker device while providing the TTH team a platform for information sharing.
“This is also to provide a training, teaching and transfer of knowledge to the hardworking staff of the hospital here in northern Ghana and that I think is very important,” Dr Addo said
“This is the first of its kind and I know once we are successful in this, we will look at its sustainability with the hospital to save more of the lives here.” he added.
Dr. Abdul-Subulr Yakubu, the Tamale Teaching Hospital’s head of cardiology, thanked Pace4life and the American team for the sponsorship and the procedures.
“Before this surgery, we lost four patients recently, because they could not afford the surgeries and so this intervention is life-saving.” Dr. Yakubu lamented.
“The poverty levels here is serious and so interventions like these are highly recommended. This is why the hospital and the Cardiology Unit and our patients will forever be grateful to Pace4Life and the team led by Dr Addo.”
Three patients in all, one of whom was 94 years old, underwent the operation with success.
Source: Marzuuq Issah | Ghana360news.com
