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The Heart of the Matter: Addressing East Africa’s Cardiac Surgery Needs
EASI is actively addressing the growing need for cardiac surgery resources in East Africa. Cardiac surgery requires a specialized team, including surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, and perfusionists — clinicians who operate heart-lung machines during open-heart surgery. Since 2023, EASI has supported cardiac surgical cases at Coast General Hospital by sending small teams to supplement local staff and conduct open-heart surgery camps. Dr. Iqbal Jaffer, a cardiac surgeon based in Hamilton, and Aman Sidhu, a clinical perfusionist from Vancouver, have been training local staff during these camps through on-site education, hands-on training, and direct support for complex patient cases. EASI has identified the need to provide advanced training in Cardiac Anesthesia and Perfusion. In 2025, we aim to support the training of one cardiac anesthesiologist and one perfusionist to further strengthen the cardiac surgery program.
The Heart of the Matter: Strengthening Cardiac Surgery in East Africa
Cardiac surgery is one of the most complex and resource-intensive fields in medicine. Yet, in East Africa, access to cardiac care remains painfully limited. EASI is stepping in to fill this critical gap, one open-heart surgery at a time.
Since 2023, EASI has been collaborating with Coast General Hospital to host cardiac surgery camps. These camps bring together small, specialized teams—surgeons, anesthesiologists, and perfusionists—to provide life-saving care. More importantly, these camps serve as training grounds for local clinicians, enabling them to build the skills necessary to sustain a cardiac surgery program.
Looking ahead to 2025, EASI plans to support the advanced training of one cardiac anesthesiologist and a perfusionist, ensuring that the region has the expertise required for independent cardiac care. This initiative highlights the importance of teamwork, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to building sustainable healthcare solutions.
