News
Twenty-two patients receive free GH¢2 million heart procedures at Korle Bu Cardio Centre
Twenty-two patients with severe heart rhythm disorders have received life-saving cardiac device procedures worth about GH¢2 million through a partnership between the Mount Carmel Foundation, the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) and Africa World Airlines.
The procedures were carried out during a five-day medical mission by a team of specialists from Ghana and the United States.
Speaking at a debriefing session after the mission, the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr. Kow Entsua-Mensah, said the success of the programme was made possible through teamwork involving cardiac surgeons, cardiologist-electrophysiologists, anaesthesiologists, nurses, radiographers, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists and other support staff.
He explained that the close collaboration among the different teams enabled them to manage the complex procedures safely, adding that all 22 patients recovered well and were ready to be discharged by the end of the mission.
Dr. Entsua-Mensah said the partnership between the Ghanaian and American medical teams would continue beyond the outreach programme.
According to him, the collaboration will not only provide specialised treatment for patients but also strengthen local expertise through training and knowledge sharing to improve advanced cardiac care in Ghana.
He also assured patients who were unable to undergo the procedures during the mission that they would still receive treatment at the Cardio Centre when they are ready.
One of the beneficiaries, Juliet Asabea Awuku, who was living with heart failure caused by peripartum cardiomyopathy, said the successful Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) device procedure had given her a new chance at life.
She expressed gratitude to the medical teams from Ghana and the United States for the support, saying the financial relief from the intervention had lifted a huge burden from her family.
“My family and I are profoundly grateful to the dedicated local medical team here in Ghana, as well as the diaspora specialists who travelled to support us. May God richly bless you all for your gift of health and hope,” she said.
The team lead from the Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Kamel Addo, said the mission focused on providing advanced procedures, including Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) and left bundle branch area pacing for patients with severe heart rhythm abnormalities who could not afford such treatment.
He praised the staff of the National Cardiothoracic Centre for their discipline, professionalism and teamwork, saying their commitment made it possible to complete all the procedures within the five-day period.
Dr. Addo added that support from the Mount Carmel Foundation helped reduce the cost of the devices and procedures, making specialised cardiac care accessible to patients who would otherwise have been unable to pay for the treatment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ghana High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, is appealing to the public to help trace the relatives or next of kin of Apia Solomon, a Ghanaian national believed to be from Osu, Accra.
According to a public announcement by the High Commission, Mr. Solomon, born on March 6, 1960, in Accra, died on July 5, 2021, from cardiopulmonary failure.
He worked as a temporary civilian staff member at the National Defence College in Nigeria. His remains are currently being kept at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital morgue in Abuja, pending burial arrangements.
The High Commission says efforts to locate his relatives have so far been unsuccessful and is urging anyone with information about his family, friends or next of kin to come forward.
Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the Ghana High Commission in Abuja.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has blamed what he describes as flawed recruitment and incomplete background checks for some of the problems facing the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI).
He has called on the leadership of the BNI to review the backgrounds of officers recruited during specific periods, particularly those who entered the agency under recent recruitment processes.
Speaking on the issue on TV3 yesterday, Mr Kumadoe alleged that some individuals were recruited into the intelligence agency without proper background checks and completed vetting.
“Certain categories of persons were dumped into the BNI, whose backgrounds were not checked, and whose vettings were not completed,” he stated.
He said some of the officers linked to the concerns appeared to have been recruited within the same period, making it necessary for the agency to examine the recruitment records and backgrounds of those who joined during that time.
Mr Kumadoe argued that the problems could be addressed by ensuring that recruitment procedures were properly followed and that all applicants underwent the required checks before being employed.
According to him, when the selection process is flawed, it can lead to problems within the institution.
He blamed the politicisation of security institutions, arguing that appointing people without the necessary intelligence experience and allowing political interests to influence recruitment could undermine their operations.
“When you have a selection procedure that was flawed because you politicised the place, brought in people to come and head the place when they have no business being there, they don’t know anything about being a BNI officer, they are not intelligence officers, and you flood the place with politicians and political artists, then you circumvent the standard procedure and you are going to have some of these problems,” he said.
Mr Kumadoe, however, defended the current leadership of the BNI, arguing that efforts to address longstanding problems within security institutions could bring such issues to light.
He said the leadership should be assessed in the context of the steps it is taking to improve the agency’s operations and uphold professional standards.
Drawing on his own experience in the intelligence field, he said the opportunity to serve under experienced officers had helped him develop the skills and integrity needed to contribute to national security.
By: Jacob Aggrey
