Photo: Healthcare professionals from University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) receive training from A-A Hearts of Ghana volunteer during November 2024 mission. Credit: Arrhythmia Alliance, 2024.

Arrhythmia Alliance Hearts of Ghana leads mission to support vulnerable patients and train local doctors.

Ghana has a population of 28 million people, and one third of all hospital deaths are due to heart failure.

Access to heart surgery and pacemakers in Ghana is critically limited. With a high incidence of rheumatic fever, the average age of patients admitted with heart failure secondary to rheumatic heart disease is just 29 years old.

Latest Mission to Save Lives

A team of ten heart specialists from the UK will travel to Accra, Ghana, to provide urgent, lifesaving cardiac surgery for some of the country’s most vulnerable people. Taking place between 27 September to 04 October, the mission is organised by Arrhythmia Alliance, through its Hearts of Ghana programme, which brings together doctors and nurses to deliver advanced treatment and share their expertise with local teams.

The mission will be led by Prof Enoch Akowuah from James Cook University Hospital, and the team will conduct complex cardiac surgeries while providing skill transfer to the local surgical team in Ghana.

Supporting Ghana’s Cardiac Care System

Access to cardiac surgery in Ghana is extremely limited. With a high incidence of rheumatic fever, the average age of patients admitted with heart failure secondary to rheumatic heart disease is just 29 years old.

Unfortunately, only a few centres can perform complex procedures, most of which are only available to fee- paying patients. This collaboration with the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) aims to change that.

During the week-long mission, the international team is working side-by-side with Ghanaian healthcare professionals to treat complex cases and deliver hands-on training and skill-sharing to create long-term, sustainable improvements.

The Hearts of Ghana Program

Arrhythmia Alliance’s Hearts of Ghana program is dedicated to improving access to treatment for heart rhythm disorders and cardiac conditions across the country. Since launching in 2019, the initiative has partnered with UGMC to:

• Deliver lifesaving surgeries via visiting international experts
• Train local cardiology and surgical teams to carry out procedures independently

This long-term approach is already delivering impact. UGMC is now performing complex surgeries and pacemaker implantations independently, building on skills taught during previous visits.

A Message from Arrhythmia Alliance

Trudie Lobban MBE, FRCP (Edin), Founder and Trustee of Arrhythmia Alliance, said:

“We are proud of the accomplishments of the Ghanian team and look forward to another mission to conduct complex surgeries with them. Our volunteer team is working hard to assure that the UGMC team is educated and prepared to provide the care needed for their patients.”

To join the Heart of Ghana mission and support our lifesaving work please visit: heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/uk/programs/hearts-of-ghana