Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Zambia Medical Association has unveiled an ambitious project to construct the Zambia Heart Institute at an estimated cost of $20 million.
The move by the Zambia Medical Association follows the increasing heart disease burden in the country with the majority of cases requiring treatment abroad at a very high cost to the country.
Zambia Medical Association President Aaron Mujajati has told a breakfast meeting in Lusaka today that from 1991 to 2004 300 heart disease patients were operated upon at the University Teaching Hospital.
Dr Mujajati says phase one of the project is expected to cost $15 million, with phase two costing $5 million.
He says the Zambia Medical Association will be relying on the goodwill of corporate world and individual Zambians to raise the money needed to put up the institute which will go a long way in ensuring that the country is able to treat complicated heart diseases thereby cutting down on the cost incurred in taking patients to countries such as Indian for specialized treatment.
Dr Mujajati has since encouraged Zambians to contribute in whatever way to this cause.
Meanwhile 5,076 of the 507,000 new born babies per year in Zambia have Congenital Heart Disease.
Speaking when he made a presentation during the same meeting Doctor Jithan Koshy Heart Surgeon says taking a Zambian Heart disease patient to India which is the cheapest cost $10,000.
Dr Koshy says it is therefore necessary to establish a Zambia Heart Institute which would include facilities for research, clinical services and training.
He notes that this would help address the increasing heart disease burden in the country.