Namibia is the third countries on the continent to have conducted a successful open-heart surgery after South Africa and Egypt.
The surgeries were conducted at Windhoek Central Hospital earlier this week on three women patients aged 16, 17 and 18 years.
South Africa sent 12 health professionals to Windhoek to provide expertise assistance and further provide training to the Namibian healthcare workers so they can perform the operation.
The doctors, which are from Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town where the first heart transplant occurred, include cardiologists and cardio thoracic surgeons, anaesthetists, theatre and Intensive Care Unit nurses, one paediatric cardiac surgeon comes from Red Cross War Memorial Children`s Hospital.
The team will perform a further eight operations before Friday.
All patients require a replacement of heart valves, which were diseased through rheumatic fever complications. If not treated, the condition can lead to heart failure, low quality of life and patients are susceptible to infections and various other health problems.
South Africa's Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang witnessed the first surgery.
She was delighted that South Africa was part of this great moment for Namibia and that she could celebrate the day with her colleague Minister of Health in Namibia, Dr Richard Kamwi.
Ms Tshabalala-Msimang said the initiative emphasises the importance that the South African government attaches to the bilateral relations between the two countries and the socio-economic development of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the continent.
“The initiative is in line with the goals of an African Renaissance and a vision of an Africa Agenda as pronounced in the New Partnership for Africa's Development, it is also a realisation of South-South co-operation,” the minister said.
Minister Tshabalala-Msimang later met the President of Namibia, Hifikepunye Pohamba to report on the great milestone that had been achieved.
Patients requiring further treatment or referrals will be transferred to Cape Town where necessary.
Senior officials from Namibia and South Africa will meet shortly to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries to provide the framework for this project.
The project is currently being implemented under SADC health protocol.
Article published courtesy of BuaNews
