Luanda: The Dom Cardeal Alexandre do Nascimento Hospital Complex has embarked on a pediatric cardiac surgery campaign starting from the 1st of this month. The campaign, operating under the slogan "Treating Hearts, Transforming Lives," aims to enhance the national capability to treat congenital heart disease in children effectively.
According to Angola Press News Agency, this initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Ngana Zenza Foundation for Community Development. The foundation is chaired by Ana Dias Louren§o, the First Lady of the Republic. The campaign, which will conclude on the 20th, is conducted in partnership with the Global Cardiac Alliance. The mission is being spearheaded by William Novick, a distinguished pediatric cardiac surgeon recognized globally for his expertise.
The medical team comprises two surgeons trained by Novick, alongside two perfusionists, an anesthesiologist, an instrument nurse, three pediatric cardiac intensivists, and six nurses specializing in pediatric cardiac intensive care. These international professionals are working directly with national teams at the Hospital Complex, facilitating skills transfer through in-job training and bolstering local capacity to manage complex pediatric cardiac cases.
So far, six surgical procedures have been performed, including two challenging cases involving a 25-day-old infant with transposition of the great vessels and a two-kilogram newborn with partial agenesis of the sternum, a rare and risky condition. By the campaign's end, at least 24 pediatric cardiac surgeries are expected to be completed, with most patients hailing from Luanda and other provinces across the country.
