The St Elizabeth General Hospital, Cardiac Centre, Shisong, Kumbo in Bui Division of the Northwest Region, recently screened some 100 persons as part of celebrations marking the 2014 World Heart Day.

In a press briefing during the screening, Sr. Jethro Nkenglefack, General Manager of the Centre stated: “From the response we’ve already had, we believe our message went across. Most of the patients who turned out here have already had their vital signs done which include the screening for various issues.”

As at mid-day on Monday, Sr Nkenglefack explained, the medical team had already received over 79 patients who had to follow a procedure beginning with registration, through the vital sign screening to the complicated heart screening.

She said, of the 24 patients screened of heart diseases, so far, two cases had been identified that need heart surgeries, seven with severe bradi-cardia cum irregular heart beats. She said, of the later category, the end result would be either pace-maker implantation or placing the patients on serious medication.

She explained that the other cases screened were normal while others were hypertensive. “This, so far, is an indication for us at the Centre and it gives us joy because it tells us that the screening was necessary.”

Further explaining the raison d’être of the screening exercise as focal point of the celebration of the day, she said: “Today is the World Heart Day and we are joining the World Heart Federation and the World Health Organisation to commemorate this day under the theme: ‘Heart- Healthy Environment’.

We launched this day because we wanted our population in Cameroon and the Central African Sub-Region to benefit from the subsidised screening which we have organised for the day”.

The screening cost had dropped from FCFA 33,000 to FCFA 16,000, to enable many patients benefit from it. By so doing, the Centre lost over FCFA 1.7 million, the Centre Manager explained, remarking that the loss did not bother them because, they are people-oriented.

Hon Andrew Kwei Mngo, MP for the Oku/Noni Special Parliamentary Constituency, who was also screened, said the heart is at the centre of the human person and must always be given due attention. He said, as politicians, they go through a lot of stress and calculation on a daily bases, reason why they must always check their hearts.

His colleague from the Ako/Misage Constituency, Hon Michael Abe, said he took advantage of the celebration to have his heart screened. He lauded the Cardiac Centre officials for the discount on the screening cost which permitted many more people to benefit from the exercise. “I think it is laudable,” Hon Abe said.

Celine Berinyuy Kongnyuy, a former Kumbo Councillor, was happy that her test was negative.

Edmund Kidzeru, a retired teacher from neighbouring Kikaikilaki, said, at 70, one is bound to begin experiencing some heart problems.

“At this age, some activities that I used to do like running or fast walk are becoming slower, so I think that something is wrong or its just the age,” Kidzeru said.

The Cardiac Centre, which is the only one in the Central African Sub-Region, was inaugurated on November 19, 2009 and has, since then, had 445 open heart surgeries, 286 catheterisations, 80 pace-makers, over 4,500 admissions with over 26,000 consultations, outreach exercises and mobile clinics.

According to the Centre’s Public Relations Officer, PRO, Barah Lukong, the cardiac medical team currently organises outreach consultations and mobile clinics in five of Cameroon’s 10 Regions. She cited Bamenda in the Northwest, Kumba and Buea in the Southwest, Bafoussam in the West, Douala in the Littoral and Mvog-Betsi Yaounde.

Barah lauded the cooperation ties between the Cardiac Centre and foreign partners including the Heart Hospital in Maputo, Mozambique, from where surgeons usually come to operate, especially children with cardiac problems.