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Towards Sustainable Open Heart Surgery in Zimbabwe
Simukayi Percy Machawira1,2, Wilfred Muteweye3, Emmerson Mutetwa4
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Insights
Prioritizing domestic resources for open heart surgery in Zimbabwe is crucial. Learning from Ghana, the program requires personnel, equipment, consumables, and competitive pay for sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Public Health Policy
- Healthcare Resource Allocation
Background:
- Open heart surgery is widely available in Western countries but remains inaccessible in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe.
- Zimbabwe established open heart surgery services from 1989-2003, but political and economic instability since 1997 disrupted its meaningful provision.
- The limited availability of advanced cardiac procedures impacts patient outcomes in the region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for the prioritization of domestic resource allocation towards establishing and sustaining open heart surgery services in Zimbabwe.
- To identify key factors necessary for the successful and sustainable implementation of cardiac surgery programs.
- To draw lessons from African nations, such as Ghana, that have successfully maintained similar programs.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of healthcare system development in similar African nations.
- Review of historical data on open heart surgery service provision in Zimbabwe.
- Identification of essential components for program sustainability: personnel, equipment, consumables, and remuneration.
Main Results:
- The study highlights the critical need for dedicated domestic funding to revive and sustain open heart surgery in Zimbabwe.
- Successful program implementation hinges on securing adequate medical expertise, necessary surgical equipment, essential consumables, and competitive compensation for healthcare professionals.
- Lessons from Ghana indicate that strategic resource management and stakeholder collaboration are vital for long-term success.
Conclusions:
- Sustainable open heart surgery in Zimbabwe necessitates a concerted effort involving government, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
- Investment in human resources, infrastructure, and competitive remuneration is paramount for rebuilding and maintaining cardiac surgical services.
- Prioritizing domestic resources, informed by successful models in other African countries, offers a viable pathway to improve access to life-saving procedures.
Abstract:
Open heart surgery has become more readily available worldwide, especially in the West, whilst it remains elusive for the majority of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular. Efforts to provide the service began in the 1950s and open heart surgery became a regular service from 1989 to 2003. From 1997, Zimbabwe went through a phase of political and economic turmoil resulting in the disruption of meaningful service. This study seeks to make the case for prioritization of domestic resources toward open heart surgery, taken as learning from African countries that faced a similar predicament such as Ghana but who have since been able to sustain their programs. To ensure the success of the program, the following are necessary: the requisite personnel, equipment, consumables, and competitive remuneration. The plan is to work with Government, the private sector, and other players to harness resources toward sustainable open heart surgery in Zimbabwe.
