Eleven children from the Lango and Acholi are set to undergo a specialized pediatric heart surgery at Lira Regional Referral Hospital. The five-day surgical camp began on Monday, and ends on Friday. It focuses on pediatric closed heart procedures.
Eight children had successfully undergone surgery by Tuesday evening. The surgeries are being carried out by a senior cardiologists and pediatric cardiac surgeons from the Uganda Heart Institute, working closely with their counterparts at Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
The team is led by Senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Michael Oketcho, alongside local specialists headed by Dr. Bosco Omongo Ekwan. Dr. Andrew Odur, the Acting Director Lira Regional Hospital says the children that have been operated, are recovering. He commended the Uganda Heart Institute for extending specialized cardiac services closer to underserved communities.
He said such outreach programs significantly reduce the burden on families who would otherwise need to travel long distances for treatment.
Dr. Odur explained that the Heart Surgery Camp resonates with the mandate of Lira Regional Referral Hospital to grow all specialized services and that they will continue to engage the Uganda Heart Institute for it to become the launchpad for better collaboration in the future.
Dr. Oketcho explained that the children being treated aged between one and eight years, are suffering from congenital heart defects, specifically a condition known as Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). This condition disrupts normal blood flow, sometimes causing it to move in the wrong direction, which can impair growth and overall health if left untreated.
He further noted that congenital heart conditions may be linked to several risk factors, including the use of prescribed medication during pregnancy and maternal infections such as rubella and measles.
Medical experts advise parents to watch for warning signs of heart complications in children, including difficulty in breathing, unusually fast breathing, poor feeding, and recurrent chest infections.
“There may not be much someone can do but the important thing is to recognize early,” says Dr. Oketcho. Adding “This begins with us the medical workers examining children when they are born; like the accurate heart rate and there are a few basic examinations that are easy to do.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Bosco Omongo Ekwan highlighted the long-term impact of the collaboration, emphasizing that the visiting specialists have not only treated patients but also transferred critical skills to local medical staff.“We are grateful for the mentorship and knowledge shared.
In the near future, we aim to begin conducting heart surgeries independently here at Lira Regional Referral Hospital,” he said.This marks the second pediatric heart surgery camp hosted at the facility under the auspices of the Uganda Heart Institute. During a similar outreach last year, 14 children successfully underwent life-saving procedures.
Health officials say such initiatives are a crucial step toward expanding access to specialized healthcare services in regional hospitals, ultimately improving outcomes for children with complex medical conditions across Uganda. URN