H-Metro Reporter
About 4 000 children on the waiting list for open heart surgeries will undergo surgery in the coming weeks at public health hospitals.
The open-heart surgeries on children come at an opportune time saving parents the time and money they spend while travelling overseas to get these done.
In an interview specialist cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Simukayi Machawira, said they had discussions with paediatric cardiologists for open heart surgeries to be performed on children.
“Plans to perform open heart surgeries on children are there,” he said.
“As we have just resumed the open-heart surgeries on adults, we wanted our team to regain their confidence and composure.
“Now, we are confident after 11 out of 12 surgeries were successful, it is a good number.
“We were discussing with paediatric cardiologists to organise, in the coming few weeks, some surgeries for children.”
With this procedure done in Zimbabwe, the country could save up to US$50 000 per person from those who seek surgeries in South Africa, and US$20 000 for those who seek surgeries in India.