Six Rwandans lined up for heart surgery in Sudan

Six heart patients from Rwanda are scheduled to undergo open heart surgery at Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery in Sudan next week. The patients aged between five and 18 years include; Francine Uwimana, Marie Nyiragatesi, Marie Murekatete, Joas Nshimiyimana, Claire Murekatete and Angelique Tuyishimire. According to the Sudanese Ambassador to Rwanda, Narsreldin Wali, the government of Sudan will cover all expenses. “We have specialised doctors in Sudan and we are more than happy to help in supporting heart patients to get appropriate treatment,” Wali said in an interview with The New Times. He revealed that the patients will be facilitated to stay in hospital until they fully recover. Wali further reacted to the recently published story of a one-year old baby, Angel Ineza Mugisha, who has an inborn heart defect but is not part of the group as she is yet to undergo echocardiography to determine the extent of her condition. “We are also waiting for Ineza’s medical report so that our doctors establish the best way to help her,” he said. Meanwhile, a statement from Health Minister, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, says that Ineza is scheduled to meet Dr Joseph Mucumbitsi at King Faisal Hospital next week, so as to come up with a conclusive report about her condition. “There are initiatives to offer free heart surgeries by highly qualified specialists to children with such cardiac disorders. Ineza will benefit from them when she is clinically eligible to undergo an operation,” the statement reads in part. Binagwaho disclosed that more than 250 such patients have benefited over the past five years. sam.nkurunziza@newtimes.co.rw

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Six Rwandans lined up for heart surgery in Sudan