A team of surgeons and medical professionals from US-based charity, Cardiostart International, is undertaking free adult cardiothoracic surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. This second mission of the group to Ghana is aimed to offering surgical intervention to less-endowed patients. Six open heart surgeries have been undertaken in the past seven days. Leader of the Team, Dr. Uday Dandekar says the ultimate goal of Cardiostart is to transfer technology in heart surgery to local medical professionals. He notes that “cardiac surgery is quite underserved in this part of the world… only 400 million people on the planet get this service of cardiac surgery. There are plenty of patients who need surgical interventions and that have been our main motive to come down to Ghana”. Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Agyei is confident the partnership would lead to the establishment of a Cardio centre in Kumasi. “We know that at least patients would have paid about 6,000 Euros for the operations, but if you’re able to come and pay something small, you have it done. We are also happy that they’re prepared to train our people so that we’ll be able to establish a centre here to supplement what already exists in Accra”, he said. Meanwhile, Cardiostart International has donated medical equipment and consumables valued at $430,000 to the hospital. Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh Nhyira FM, Kumasi