JKCI operates on 728 heart patients January-September

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) conducted heart surgeries for 728 patients between January and September, saving 1.3bn/- in costs for undertaking the operations locally.

Director of Research at the institute, Dr Pedro Pallangyo, explained that it would have cost 3.2bn/- if the surgeries were conducted in India but JKCI did the surgical procedures at just 1.9bn /-.

Dr Pallangyo made the revelation in Dar es Salaam yesterday during an occasion to receive 303m/- from three different institutions to facilitate surgical treatment for 139 patients at the JKCI.

The institutions include I&M Bank Tanzania Limited, which dished 33m/-, as well as BAPS Charities and Youth Welfare Trust, which provided 222m/- and 48.4m/-, respectively.

According to Dr Pallangyo, 494 patients underwent cath-lab operation while the remaining 234 patients received normal surgeries between January and September, this year. Last year, 234 people were operated through the cath-lab procedure and 204 others got normal heart surgery.

“This shows that we have been increasing the number of patients receiving treatment at the institute; we also introduced a special programme to diagnose expectant mothers to detect whether their inborn children have signs of heart problems,” Dr Pallangyo explained.

Speaking after handing over the cash donation, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of I&M Bank Tanzania Limited, Mr Baseer Mohammed, said the financial institution will continue supporting the community through corporate social responsibility.

For his part, the Secretary of BAPS Charities, Mr Paresh Chollera, said the institution provided financial support to undertake heart surgeries for 100 children last year, urging other well-wishers to support people with heart ailments.

The Executive Director of JKCI, Professor Mohammed Janabi, said the surgical procedures for the 139 patients will be completed by mid-November, calling upon expectant mothers to show up the health facility for diagnosis of their inborn children.