PNGs Port Moresby General Hospital treats hundreds of coronary heart disease cases

 More than 600 cases of coronary heart disease have successfully undergone treatment at the Port Moresby General Hospital Cardiac Unit since July 2021.

Photo and article by Stella Martin: NBC News

Out of this, four patients with worse medical conditions had passed away as a result.

Head of Cardiology, Dr. Weson Boko revealed this to the media during a visit to the catheterisation laboratory last week.

He said they could have done more but because of consumable shortage and the high cost involved, this has delayed some of their processes.

Dr. Boko said since they have started doing the angiogram of the heart, they have witnessed many severe coronary arthritis.

"Papua New Guineans because of our lifestyle, there are more severe disease, not only one artery problem but more than two three arteries problems."

"Those are the patients that need to go overseas to have a bypass but in PNG we cannot afford to do that and since we’ve started we have stent almost 200 plus patients,” said Dr. Boko.

He added that apart from performing angiogram of the heart, they also do angiogram of the brain.

“This is a different specialist area done by a specialist interventional neurologist from Vietnam."

“We’ve also provided other specialist services, including angiogram of the kidney as well as the peripherals (arteries on the legs and arms),” said Dr. Boko.

He further explained that Angiogram or Angiography is a special procedure of checking the blood vessels of the heart.

He reiterated that not only are people coming in with coronary heart disease but also people with stroke and hole in the heart.

Dr. Boko said the Cardiac facility itself is meant to do coronary angiogram and stenting for the heart but they have done more than that.

He added that these are highly specialist services that are provided by trained doctors and nurses in countries like Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom and Philippines at a very high cost.

But in PNG these services are carried out by local doctors and nurses at the Cardiac Unit of the Port Moresby General Hospital, who have been privileged to receive hands-on training from a top specialist interventional neurologist from Vietnam.

Dr. Boko said what they are doing is history in the making, from a single step to a big one because of the need in the country.

He also said they are hoping to reach a thousand patients by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the Head of Cardiology thanked its partner, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, for its ongoing support in purchasing consumables to ensure the hospital continuous to provide specialist health care services.

NBC News/One PNG News

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