The Paediatric Association of Cameroon, SOCAPED, and the Shisong Cardiac Centre Heart Foundation in Kumbo, Bui Division of the North West Region, have raised about FCFA 61 million to sponsor the treatment of children suffering from various heart diseases, but cannot afford the cost.

Since July 2015, the deal has facilitated open heart surgeries for 19 children at the Saint Elizabeth Cardiac Centre, Shisong Catholic Hospital, Kumbo.

An agreement between the Shisong Cardiac Centre and the Cameroon Paediatric Association was signed on November 9, 2015, with both parties committing to give sick children a chance to live. To show for the package is FCFA 36.8 million raised by the Shisong Cardiac Centre Heart Foundation and FCFA 25 million by SOCAPED.

According to the terms of the deal, SOCAPED agreed to raise funds for vulnerable patients needing cardiac surgery and other interventional procedures.

On the other hand, the Shisong Cardiac Centre Social Care Management Office will investigate and decide who benefits from the sponsorship, based on the urgency of the surgery and inability to pay the surgical fee.

The General Manager of the Shisong Cardiac Centre, Rev. Sister Jethro Nkenglefac, said the initiative opens a new chapter with SOCAPED becoming the first national association to sponsor operations at the Cardiac Centre.

The President of SOCAPED, Prof. Tchokoteu Pierre-Fernand, expressed hope that the partnership would last long.

The Saint Elizabeth Cardiac Centre, Shisong, which is Cameroon’s only reference facility in cardio-vascular disease control and management, was inaugurated six years ago.

It has since consulted 33,044 patients, performed 536 open heart surgeries, 370 catheterizations, 118 pacemaker implantations, three implantable cardio-verter defibrillators, two cardiac resynchronization therapies. The centre has 6,609 in-patients and had recorded 9,548 mobile cardiac clinics by November 9, 2015.

The centre is considering tarring the 3-km stretch that links Shisong village to Kumbo town as well as sinking boreholes to supplement dwindling sources of water. Its objectives also include acquiring an incinerator for proper waste management and finding a lasting solution the high cost of electricity consumption.