Shisong Cardiac Centre

21 children in need of support to undergo heart surgery
By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda

Unitary walk against hypertension

Twenty one children, most of them from underprivileged backgrounds are currently in need of support to enable them undergo heart surgery at the Cardiac Center of St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital, Shisong. The children whose parents are unableto afford the over FCFA 3 million as bills of the surgery are counting on the goodwill of Cameroonians.
    Sis JethroNkenglefack, Manager of the center made the revelation, May 17 at the St. Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral Hall, Big Mankon during celebrations to mark World Hypertension Day in Bamenda. 
Celebrated under the theme “Know your blood pressure”, the ceremony was an occasion to promote public awareness of hypertension and to encourage the North West population to prevent and control what experts have called the silent killer and modern epidemic.

    As part of activities to commemorate this day, the staff of the Shisong Cardiac Centre offered free screening for hypertension and diabetes to the population. This came after a walk with placards and fliers on which were written key messages on hypertension from the Bamenda Grandstand, Commercial Avenue to the St. Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral Hall.
In one of the key note presentations, Dr. Tantchou T.J. Cabral revealed that over 35 percent of Cameroonians over the age of 35 have hypertension.
    According to the 2014 Fact Sheet from the World Hypertension League and the International Society of Hypertension, approximately 4 in 10 adults over age 25 have hypertension and in many countries another 1 in 5 have prehypertension.
    The Factsheet also reveals that an estimated 10% of the health care spending is directly related to increased blood pressure and its complications and that unhealthy diet is estimated to be related to about half of hypertension.
    To this Dr. Tantchou T.J. Cabral prescribed regular exercises and the consumption of appropriate food especially plenty of fruits and vegetables.
    In a presentation of the Shisong Cardiac Centre, its manager revealed that since inception, the centre has acquired ultra modern equipment and have carried over 340 successful heart surgeries. She thanked the government of the tarring of the Bamenda kumbo ring road which has eased transportation of patients but appealed that the stretch of road linking the Centre to the ring road should be included in subsequent projects.
    She revealed that one of the challenges of the centreis funds to achieve its mission of assisting the underprivileged cardiac patients irrespective of their economic condition or tribal origin.
    Corroborating the Manager, the North West regional delegate of public health appealed on the North West population to assist the 21 children who are in dire need of funds to undergo surgery at the center.
The ceremony was attended amongst others by the Governor of the North West Region, Adolf LeleL’Afrique, proprietors of some medical establishments in Bamenda amongst others.

Shisong Cardiac Centre setting the pace in Heart Surgeries
    The St. Elizabeth Cardiac Centre, Shisong, Bui divisionis setting a new chapter in life saving efforts for patients with heart related problems. Since its inauguration in 2009, the centre is already on record with 20.000 consultations, over 350 open heart surgeries, 50 pacemaker implantations and 220catheterisations.
    The defibrillator implantations which have been part of the Centre since September 2013 runs out for patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Continuous research and practice has given the Centre a character that puts it on the rails of scientific innovations and development.