KINGSTON, Jamaica – A team from the Congenital Heart Institute of Florida (CHIF) recently performed major and minor cardiac surgery on 18 children at two hospitals in Kingston.
Nine children received cardiac surgery at the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC), while another nine received catheterisations at the University Hospital of the West Indies.
“The Region is extremely pleased to receive this type of support from CHIF as our local cardiac team continues to tackle the extensive list for children with heart conditions awaiting surgical intervention,” Chairman of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) Lyttleton Shirley said.
“CHIF has been one of the groups that have consistently provided support for the local cardiac team for the past six years to perform complex cardiac surgeries during medical missions free of cost. We owe them a great deal of thanks.”
The 39 member team, headed by Cardiac Surgeon, Dr Jeff Jacobs, began surgeries on Wednesday, April 3, and completed them on Saturday, April 6.
According to the Health Ministry between 400 and 500 children are born in Jamaica with congenital heart disease each year. Approximately 50 per cent of these children will require medical or surgical intervention. Currently, between one and three cardiac surgeries are done at Bustamante Hospital each week, the ministry said.
Shirley said the building of a new cardiac centre at the hospital for children, where ground was broken in February, will allow for a more sustainable cardiac programme.
“At least two surgeries will be performed each day, increasing the opportunity for more lives to be saved and ultimately significantly reducing the waiting list for surgery,” Shirley added.
