‘I’m dying slowly’- heart defect patient cries for help   

By Dennis Peprah

Sunyani, Oct. 12, GNA – Mohammed Sulemana, 27, unemployed, has been diagnosed with ‘Valvar Pulmonary Stenosis’ and appealing to philanthropists and charitable organisations to support him with US$9,000 to undergo surgery.  

“I’m dying slowly. It’s extremely difficult because I sometimes feel agonizing pains in my chest area any moment I breath,” Sulemana, resident of New-Dormaa, a suburb of Sunyani, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday.  

The Sunyani Regional Hospital referred him to the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC), Korle Bu Teaching Hospital,  where he was diagnosed with ‘Valvar Pulmonary Stenosis’ , a congenital defect of one of his heart valves, which required surgery to repair.  

“My parents are struggling to raise this amount of money. The doctors told us to raise the money within three months for me to undergo the surgery. I need the support of Ghanaians to save my life,” Sulemana said with pain.  

A letter signed by Dr Lawrence A. Sereboe, the Director of the NCTC, said Sulemana was referred to the NCTC for “evaluation and management on account of dyspnoea”.  

“Clinical evaluation and investigations revealed that he suffers from a severe congenital defect. Further management will involve open heart surgery to repair the defective valve, a procedure termed; open pulmonary valvotomy.”  

 The 9000 dollars would cater for the cost of further investigations, surgery anaesthesia, intensive care and boarding for a maximum period of two weeks, it said.  

GNA