The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in collaboration with the Cardio Start International Compassionate Medical Assistance, a heart surgery team from the United States of America has performed a maiden heart surgery for six adults in Kumasi.
The team also performed two heart surgeries on teenagers: Kofi Sarpong, 13 and Christiana Kyeremeh, 19.
Afia Adowaah, 31, Juliana Amponsah, 41, Regina Boakye, Rebecca Asirifi, both 57, Georgina Pam, 63 and Afia Serwaa, 76, were the patients who benefited from the free heart surgery which normally costs 6,000 Euros at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Dr Aubyn Marath, the Head of the U.S. team, briefing newsmen said 30 patients with two thirds being women were screened.
He said the initiative was based on an appeal made by the hospital, adding that, the group's duty is to help save lives of people in the underserved countries in the world through heart surgery.
The Cardiac Therapist called on all, especially the men to take advantage of the exercise the next time the team was in Ghana.
Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive of the Hospital said the exercise, which was the first of its kind at the hospital is to prepare it towards the establishment of a Cardio Centre in addition to that of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He noted that the operation was also to test the multi-purposed emergency centre commissioned last year.
Dr Nsiah-Asare mentioned that, to sustain the exercise, a fund would be set up to cater for those who could not really afford to pay their hospital bills as well as buy their drugs after the free surgery.
He hinted that, the second heart centre in the country should be expected within two years to reduce the load on Korle-Bu.
The Chief Executive thanked the team for their support and urged Ghanaians to respond positively to the exercise when the need arose.