President Irfaan Ali on Friday announced that the Ministry of Health has been given a two-month deadline to prepare for paediatric cardiac surgeries using the country’s newly acquired robotic surgical technology.
This will ensure that children no longer have to travel overseas for treatment, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
Addressing a gathering at the commissioning of the new Ministry of Health drug bond in Region Two, President Ali said the ministry has been instructed to compile the names of all children who are medically ready for surgery so that treatment can begin as quickly as possible.
The initiative is expected to significantly ease the financial and emotional burden on families, as the surgeries, which can cost as much as US$150,000 overseas, will be provided free of charge through government funding, DPI said
Ali said the government will also bring in specialised cardiac teams to work alongside local medical professionals as efforts intensify to eliminate the backlog of children awaiting surgery, DPI added.
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