Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
LIFE-SAVING paediatric cardiac surgeries are underway at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, offering critically ill children a renewed chance at survival while strengthening Zimbabwe’s long-term cardiac care capacity.
The week-long surgical camp, running from Monday to Friday, has brought together a team of Egyptian cardiac specialists working alongside local doctors to perform complex open-heart procedures on young patients.
Leading cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Simukayi Machawira said the initiative responds to an urgent national need, while building local expertise.
“This is a paediatric camp for heart diseases. It is our third camp with our visiting colleagues from Egypt. They arrived yesterday, and we screened patients the same day. The surgeries are running from Monday to Friday, and our guests will depart on Saturday. We are aiming to operate on at least 10 patients, and hopefully 11 if possible,” Dr Machawira said.
Dr Machawira noted that the intervention will significantly ease the burden on families, many of whom endure repeated hospital visits due to untreated heart conditions.
“We are hoping to save many children who frequently suffer infections and repeated hospital admissions. This intervention will go a long way in supporting families and reducing the burden of repeated hospital visits. Roughly 4 000 children born every year require cardiac surgery,” he added.
The visiting team is led by paediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Professor Hisham Shawky, who commended the progress made by Zimbabwean medical personnel since the programme’s inception three years ago.
“I think we are doing well because the team is improving. Most importantly, they now have a new heart-lung machine procured by the Government, which will further strengthen the programme. We have also brought additional instruments for the local team to work with. I believe they are now ready to advance the programme on their own,” he said.
Professor Shawky highlighted the scale of congenital heart disease, stressing the importance of early intervention.
“As Dr Machawira mentioned, the number of patients requiring surgery is very high. We often say that out of every 1 000 newborns, about eight are born with heart defects. The challenge is that if they do not receive surgery within the first year of life, around 25 per cent may not survive to their first birthday,” he said.
The camp not only aims to save lives in the short term, but also to build a sustainable paediatric cardiac care system in Zimbabwe, through skills transfer, equipment support and collaborative practice.
