‘There is hope for hole-in-heart patients after surgery’
The Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCC) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Lawrence Agyeman Sereboe, has stated that children with ventricular septal defect (hole-in-heart) can regain normal life when they undergo surgery.
Advertisement
He said although the process was expensive, it was cheaper in Ghana as compared to other countries.
He made the statement at a ceremony when an Accra-based radio station, Maraba FM, donated $8,000 to the cardio centre as part of its corporate social responsibility last Tuesday.
The amount would be used to operate on two-year old Abubakal Mumuni who was diagnosed of ventricular septal defect (hole-in-heart) three months ago and needs to undergo surgery.
Hole-in-heart
Hole-in-heart is a congenital heart defect.It occurs as a result of problems with the heart structure that is present at birth. The defect changes the normal flow of blood through the heart.
The heart has two sides, separated by an in wall called the septum. With each heartbeat, the right side of the heart receives oxygen (poor blood) from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart receives oxygen (rich blood) from the lungs and pumps it to the body.
The septum presents mixing of the blood between the two sides of the heart. However, some babies are born with hole in the upper or lower septum.
A hole in the septum between the heart’s two upper chambers is called an atrial septal defect (ASD) while the one between the heart’s two lower chambers is called a ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Other Trending Stories
ASDs and VSDs allow blood to pass from the left side of the heart to the right side. Thus, oxygen-rich blood mixes with oxygen-poor blood. As a result, some of the oxygen-rich blood is pumped to the lungs instead of the body
Many babies who are born with hole-in-heart have no signs or symptoms. However, as they grow, these children may be smallish for their age.
Commendation
Dr Sereboe lauded the FM station for its good works over the years, and gave the assurance that with a successful surgery, little Mumuni will get back to normal quality of life and life expectancy.
“This child has ventricular septal defect and because of that it has retarded his growth. Look at him, he does not look like a child of his age.” he added.
He further called on other organisations to come to the aid of children with a similar disease.
Presenting the cheques to the centre, the Chief Executive Officer of the station, Alhaji Baba Sheriff Abdulali, said the gesture was the seventh by the station since 2012.
He also gave $100 cash to the parents of the boy to assist in his upkeep.
He said the station solicited for help from the general public after they (Maraba FM) were approached by the centre for help.
Alhaji Abdulali lauded contributors and also urged Ghanaians to be compassionate to one another.
“We are Ghanaians and there is a need to help one another. You don’t know what will happen to you tomorrow. You may need other people to come to your aid.
“When you come to Korle Bu and other hospitals, you see people suffering, just because they cannot afford the medication, so as a people, we have to come together to see how best we can help them,” he added.
For her part, the mother of Mumuni, Fati Zakari, thanked the FM station for helping to save the life of her son
Advertisement