The aim is to strengthen pediatric cardiac surgery
services in Côte d’Ivoire and improve care for children with serious heart disease.
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An ambitious project for Ivorian children
The official announcement was made at a press conference held on November 22, 2024 at the ICA. According to Professor Kramoh Kouadio Euloge, Director General of the ICA, this collaboration aims to provide local teams with a level of competence that meets international standards: “
The teams are already trained. This is why this leading Canadian team is supporting those in Abidjan so that they are autonomous and capable of treating all heart malformations here in Côte d’Ivoire.
”
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Ms. Eva Peled, Managing Director of Mitrelli Côte d’Ivoire, welcomed this initiative as a decisive step towards a future where all Ivorian children will have access to quality cardiac care: “
This project embodies the commitment of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to building a healthy future for every child. By mobilizing local expertise and benefiting from international support, we are sustainably strengthening the capacities of the health system.
“
A transfer of key skills
The Canadian mission included interactive workshops, exchanges of technical know-how and hands-on assistance with complex surgical procedures. Procedures performed included “
closure of intraventricular communication
” (IVC) and “complete cure” of tetralogy of Fallot, critical operations for young patients.
“
This project embodies the commitment of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to building a healthy future for every child. By mobilizing local expertise and benefiting from international support, we are sustainably strengthening the capacities of the health system.
”
The Canadian team, made up of several specialists, brought a diverse range of expertise: a perfusionist, responsible for operating the heart-lung machine, worked alongside local technicians. Also present were a clinical surgery instructor, a cardiac catheterizer, an anesthesiologist, a cardiac surgery resident and a clinical cardiac CA instructor. Their mission: to enable Ivorian teams to independently manage complex cases in the future.
For Professor Miro Joaquim, cardiac catheterizer of the delegation, this type of partnership is possible thanks to the efforts of local authorities: “
These missions are carried out in countries where certain safety standards are respected. The ICA has demonstrated professionalism and commitment, which greatly facilitates our collaboration.
“
A long-term project for a regional center of excellence
The arrival of this delegation is part of an initiative launched in 2020 aimed at making the Abidjan Institute of Cardiology a regional center of excellence in West Africa for pediatric cardiac care. A next visit is already planned for April 2025, marking the continuity of this commitment. By strengthening local capacities and establishing a dynamic of international cooperation, this project symbolizes a major step forward for the Ivorian health system and for the future of children with heart disease in Côte d’Ivoire.
