Stephen Chadenga
Leading medical service provider, Cimas Health Group has partnered Egyptian cardiac specialists and local medical professionals for life saving health surgeries for children with congenital heart defects.
In a statement Cimas said the week long surgical operation benefitted 10 children who underwent heart surgical procedures to correct various heart defects.
“The week long surgical Open Heart Camp 2 held at Parirenyatwa Hospital saw 10 Zimbabwean children undergo life saving cardiac procedures,”Cimas said.
“The operated children aged between six months and 10 years were mainly suffering from congenital heart defects that is abnormalities at birth can affect the heart’s walls, valves or associated blood vessels.”
At least 4500 children are born with a congenital heart disease each year in Zimbabwe and about 1300 children in the country die of heart diseases annually.
Globally the rate of birth of children with congenital heart diseases is roughly 0,8% per live birth.
Cimas Health Group chief executive Mr Vuli Ndlovu said Cimas remains committed to improving healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe in alignment with government’s vision 2030 which priorities access to quality, world class healthcare for all.
“Having supported the first Open Heart surgical camp in November last year and seeing its impact on paediatric cardiac care in Zimbabwe, we decided to be part of this year’s camp again. This aligns with our purpose to inspire healthier communities,”Ndlovu said.
“This Open Heart Camp plays a key role in empowering our surgeons in the area of paediatric cardiac care, which remains underdeveloped not only in Zimbabwe but across the region.”
Added Ndlovu: “Despite economic headwinds, our determination remain unshaken. At Cimas Health Group we are not driven solely by profit. Our guiding force is the profound responsibility of saving lives.”
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Kwidini commended the Heart Camp saying it reflected the potential of public-private partnerships in delivering high impact healthcare interventions.
“To our committed local sponsors, National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe (NOIC), The Avenues Clinic and Cimas, your contribution defines true corporate citizenship. You are investing not only in healthcare but also in hope, in futures and in the vision of a stronger Zimbabwe,”Kwidini said.
“All of this aligns with His Excellency (Emmerson Mnangagwa), the President’s vision 2030 to transform Zimbabwe into an empowered upper middle income society and world class healthcare is a pillar of that vision.”
Avenues Clinic General Manager, Mrs Subusisiwe Ndlovu said her health institution was committed to ensure the achievement of national health priorities.
“As a private healthcare institution, The Avenues Clinic is honoured to once again contribute to the Egypt-Zimbabwe paediatric cardiac surgery mission, truly life-changing initiative,”she said.
“At The Avenues Clinic we believe in partnerships that put people first. Our support in this mission reflects our broader commitment to play our part in enabling access to specialised care for the most vulnerable members of our society.”
The Open Heart Camp has been described as an example of effective public-private partnership made possible by government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, NOIC, Embassy of Egypt in Zimbabwe, the Gift Life International Foundation of the United States of America, the Rotary Club of Harare central and The Avenues Clinic among other players.