According to documents, cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia.
Especially, following the limitation to access better care in heart treatments, insufficient information to manage the risk factors and reduce the symptoms, many citizens have been attacked by the diseases.
The worst, several children are also suffering from some type of heart diseases including the cardiovascular congenital defects that demand treatments from mild medical care to the advanced ones, including repetitive surgeries.
Owing to the challenges associated with access to cardiac care centers, limited number of specialized physicians in cardiac surgery, and lack of state of the art medical equipment, many patients with various types of heart defects are compelled to wait long in hospitals’ lists or travel and get treated abroad, if possible.
Taking all the burdens into consideration, over the past decades, Ethiopia has been undertaking several activities. The cardiac center that was established in the premises of Zewditu Memorial Hospital in 1992 and now inside Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) compound to treat patients with cardiac health problems are exemplary in this regard.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald Ethiopia’s Cardiac Center Communication Director Mihretab Ermas (MD) said that the Center is operating under a number of challenges such as scarcity of high tech medical equipment, skilled human capital and high burden of patients with cardiac health problems.
The Center demands more support from development partners and the community at large for the reason it is providing services for free and the needed medical materials are too expensive in the global market.
He further noted that, in the past three months, the center has operated 92 fellow citizens with cardiac health problems. However, according to him the Center has a capacity to operate over 1500 peoples with cardiac health problems per annum, subsequent to shortages of medical supplies and skilled human power, it is limited to operate below its capacity and treat only 400 to 500 children with health problems.
As to him, some internationally acclaimed cardiac hospitals are operating about five to six thousands per annum yet ours is limited to five hundred. “Our performance is restricted because of the limited resources we are getting. Everyone should know there are over 700 children with cardiac health problems on the waiting list, we need urgent support from all stakeholders because citizens are losing their lives,” he opined.
While stating the efforts made to undo the challenges. He noted that the Ministry of Health along with other pertinent stakeholders is working to address the challenges.
“Patients should wait for more than one year to go under examination for their cardiac health problems. In my view, this is hectic and absurd, and we should join hands to increase the number of patients who are receiving medical treatments to help them recover their wellbeing and lead a productive life.”
According to Mihretab (MD), the center is the only institute in Ethiopia, and any one can imagine a center for over the population of 120 million. The center receives from 10 to 12 children with heart conditions from all over the country on a daily basis. “Annually, we receive 1600 children with various types of heart cases”, he underlined.
The center is striving to provide and deliver universal standard cardiac care for children and adults as well as provide tailor-made cardiac specialty training. Also, it is undertaking preventive and curative cardiac research through the strong engagement of the community, partnership, and collaboration with penitent stakeholders.
“To ensure our mission and goal, the center is working with a number of local and international partners, like the Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio-Telecom and many finance sector institutions. The organizations are helping the center by providing SMS hotline 6710 for free. We are grateful for the support,” he remarked.
He also underscored the importance of joining hands to curb the challenges of the center. “We should stand in unison. The Diaspora community should stand in unison along with the local fellow citizens, Good Will ambassadors. By joining hands and providing the required support, be it material or financial to the center, we can change the scenario.”
Since the principal day of its activity, the center rendered its service for more than 5,000 patients free of charge.
Speaking to EPA, Goodwill Ambassador for the Ethiopian Cardiac Center, Artist Meseret Mebrate said that the fate of children with cardiac problems is in the hands of the people. Thus, every Ethiopian should act now. Not only the patients, but all members of the families whose children are under cardiac health problems are found in stressful situations. Children with cardiac problems should smile and play freely like other children of their age.
“Currently, the Ethiopia Cardiac Center is working to save the lives of thousands of children through providing free services. What should be clear is that the activity is too expensive and demands high skilled human power. To undo the problem, we should stand in unison and support the center”
“I call on fellow citizens, the Diaspora and the international community to assist and equip the center in a more organized and coordinated manner now than ever before because seven thousand children with cardiac health problems are in the waiting list. In my view, this is a huge number”, she opined.
According to her, we should act now; because the earlier we act, we could save lives.
“I want Ethiopia to have more than one state of the art cardiac center. I am grateful for the fellow citizens and local and international partners, who have helped the center so far, I hope they will keep on supporting the center in a sustainable way.”
As documents indicate, the idea of the Ethiopian Cardiac Center was first initiated by Dr. Belay Abegaz. The center took 1.4 million USD to construct, and much of this money was collected through the “One Birr for a Heart” project, as well as other fundraising activities.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The Ethiopian Herald August 13/2023
