By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Feb. 16, GNA – Ghana is set to host the first-ever Pan-African Cardiothoracic Surgery Summit, focusing on building Africa’s medical expertise.
The summit, scheduled to take place on 21-24 February 2025, will bring expertise across Africa to confront the continent’s escalating cardiovascular disease burden.
At a media briefing to announce the summit, Prof. Charles Yankah, Director of Humanitarian Cardiac Surgery Ghana, said the summit aimed att bridging critical gaps in specialised care through targeted training, technology, and cross-border collaboration.
Prof. Yankah stressed that Africa’s shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons and infrastructure demanded urgent, homegrown solutions.
“This summit is about equipping African professionals to lead.By training trainers, we create a multiplier effect and empower local experts to mentor the next generation and expand access to life-saving care, “ he said.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, only 2 per cent of children with heart issues have access to surgery, which reflects the need for charity organisations to undertake surgeries.
Thus, he said the summit would provide the platform for charity organisations and medical experts to suggest how to facilitate “low budget “ cardiac surgery in Africa.
These discussions, according to him, will enable underserved African communities to have more access to interventional and surgical procedures.
The summit would also feature key initiatives, including partnerships with United States of America(USA), European and African institutions, to offer hands-on training in advanced surgical techniques.
It would also include a first-of-its-kind digital registry by Prof. Yankah’s NGO, PASCAT, to track surgical outcomes, map regional disparities, and guide policy.
It will also include workshops on artificial intelligence tools to enhance preoperative planning and predict treatment outcomes, with a focus on resource-limited settings.
The summit will spotlight gender inclusivity as a pillar of capacity building.
A dedicated youth forum as part of the summit will connect medical students with global experts, offering career guidance and showcasing minimally invasive techniques like interventional cardiology.
GNA