Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has donated 10,000 Ghana Cedis to the management of Ghana Paediatric Heart Fund established by the management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi as the seed money. The fund is to promote research in cardiac surgery in children. Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyempemhene of Kumasi presented the money on behalf of the Asantehene at the official launching in Kumasi at the weekend. The Asantehene commended management of KATH for the fund that would facilitate cardiac surgery among children. He expressed concern about many children with heart defects and expressed appreciation to the management of KATH for performing its first open heart surgery this month. The Asantehene advised management and staff of KATH to be disciplined and committed to duty to facilitate the hospital's bid to become a centre of excellence. Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive Officer of KATH who received the money, said management had resolved to expand its services for quality health care delivery. Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister noted that the fund was crucial to improve access to cardiac surgery to the most vulnerable in society and called on philanthropists, institutions and organisations to donate to the fund to save lives. The management of KATH recorded a significant historical feat after successfully performing its maiden open-heart surgery on Sunday, October 14. Four children underwent successful open-heart surgery on the first day while another batch of four had their turn on Tuesday, October 16. The patients, aged between one and eight years had the surgeries performed by a team of cardio thoracic surgeons from KATH and Boston Children's Hospital at Harvard University, USA. It was under the auspices of Variety Children's Lifeline, a Boston based NGO that provided medical equipment and consumables worth one million dollars. The team was led by Dr Francis Fynn Thompson, a Ghanaian Cardiologist at Boston Children's Hospital. Dr Nsiah-Asare, said the successful operations, conducted free of charge, were a step towards the eventual establishment of a paediatric heart centre and the second cardio thoracic centre in the country to cater for the northern sector. He said 45 children were screened but eight were selected for the surgeries and the rest would be operated upon during the second visit of the team in March. Dr Nsiah-Asare said in addition to the surgeries, the team was also training their local counterparts in modern cardio thoracic techniques to build their capacity and equip them to be able to manage the proposed centre. He said within the next two years KATH would be operating a full-fledged cardio thoracic centre. Source: GNA