Tanzania’s heart hospital giving patients new lease on life at lower cost

By Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AA) - Thousands of people with heart problems in Tanzania are flocking to the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in the port city of Dar es Salaam for specialized treatment, saving the country millions of dollars.

Poor families who had been forced to borrow money or sell personal assets to seek specialized treatment in India have seen a glimmer of hope as most such heart surgeries are performed locally.

Specialized heart treatment in India and elsewhere has for years drained much-needed foreign currency in the East African nation which would have been spent for development purposes.

- No more hefty fees

According to Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, in 2015 alone, the government spent a whopping 4.7 billion Tanzanian shillings (US$2.04 million) for heart operations performed in India.

A coronary bypass procedure, for instance, which would have cost 15 million Tanzanian shillings (approximately $6,520), can be performed at JKCI for $1,700, officials said.

The heart surgeries performed at JKCI have drastically reduced the monetary and logistical challenges Tanzanians have been facing while seeking life-saving treatment for their loved ones abroad, officials said.

Coronary heart disease is a serious public health problem which has plagued both rich and poor people due to sedentary lifestyles, a lack of physical exercise and poor diet.

Dr. Aifelo Sichalwe, the government’s chief medical officer, said heart diseases have until recently constituted many cases of patients who are referred to India for treatment, adding the authorities are determined to reverse the trend.

“There’s absolutely no need for anyone to waste their money seeking heart treatment abroad. We have a fully equipped hospital with highly trained specialists here at home where patients can be treated at affordable rates,” he told Anadolu Agency.

On World Organ Donation and Transplant Week, the JKCI, which performed more than 1,500 surgeries this year, has attracted people from all walks of life thanks to increased awareness and the affordability of the treatment, most of which is covered by local health insurance.

Robert Mallya, the hospital’s director of nursing services, said since its establishment in 2015, the state-of-the-art health facility has attracted a huge number of patients seeking medical advice, diagnosis and treatment.

“We have different modalities for payment, including cost-sharing schemes and insurance cover, and there is also a category of patients who are exempted from payment,” he said.

As health care costs continue to rise globally, an increasing number of patients are turning to this university teaching hospital whose heart surgeries cost a fifth of what they would in India or elsewhere.

Depending on the type of cardiac complication, open heart surgery at JKCI costs between 4 million to 15 million Tanzanian shillings (around $1,700-$6,500).

- New hopes

Hemedi Kassim was born with a heart defect which made his life miserable. He was breathing rapidly and with great effort.

The 14-year-old boy from the eastern Morogoro region had a hole in his heart which greatly narrowed his chances of survival.

The hapless boy, who was wheeled into the operating theater at JKCI in July, had received a new lease of life.

“I feel much better after the surgery, I can now play and no longer struggle to breath,” he said.

Kassim, who underwent a successful life-saving treatment by leading pediatric cardiac surgeons at JKCI, has now gone back to school.

In the first step, trained surgeons used state-of-the-art technology to repair a life-threatening opening between two major blood vessels in the heart —sparing him surgery and weeks of recovery.

Peter Kisenge, the director of cardiology services as JKCI, said children born with heart defects are among many patients being treated at the hospital.

“We prioritize and provide special care for children with congenital heart conditions, especially those from poor families,” he said.

Until recently, Beata Tarimo, a 15-year-old girl lived in pain inflicted by her congenital heart condition.

But when her mother decided to seek treatment she spurned all the suggestions from her friends.

Instead of saving money for travelling to India, she went to JKCI where the operation was successfully conducted.

Tarimo is now leading a normal life just like any other child.

“I am happy for the service I got, it means a lot to me," she said.

Tarimo’s story is becoming increasingly common as more Tanzanians are seeking world-class treatment locally.

“I am very thankful, doctors have saved my life,” he said.