Boost for cardiovascular diseases treatment at JKCI Dar Group

JAKAYA Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) Dar Group has launched three brand new cardiovascular machines worth 600bn/- for heart attack and diagnosis.

Speaking to journalists at JKCI in Dar es Salaam, Assistant Director of JKCI, Dr Tulizo Shemu, who is also a cardiologist at the hospital, said the machines are capable of offering 3D heart diagnosis and heart attack diagnosis.

“The machines will simplify cardiovascular treatments to all people in the country and due to its strategic location to Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), the hospital will also offer services to foreigners,” Dr Shemu noted.

Dr Shemu thanked President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan and her government for commendable efforts to improve health sector and particularly for providing JKCI with the machines.

He said the machines will be used to offer treatments of heart attack to unborn children, children and adults at an affordable price ranging from 20,000/- to 50,000/- depending on nature and seriousness of the disease.

“Now the hospital receives more than 500 patients suffering from liver failure, loss of organs and others. For now, we focus on addressing heart diseases and so we welcome citizens to make effective use of the hospital,” he said.

He said since the government handed over the hospital to JKCI  the hospital has managed to extend its capacity treating patients with heart diseases from 20 to 150 patients and they now offer ward rest and surgery services.

“We have increased emergence health facilities, new laboratory and theatre equipment,” he said, adding that they currently renovating the hospital’s buildings.

According to Dr Hamis Athuman, the ultrasound officer(Radiography Technologist), with the new machines the hospital would be able to treat many patients than before and that they are now able to detect the heart problems even to the unborn babies and among adults of all ages.

Furthermore Dr Athuman said the increased number of the machines and facilities at the hospital has motivated them.

One of patients Nassoro Tangulu, a resident of Mbagala, who attended for the neck and backache treatments, testified about improvements at the hospital.

“My colleagues and I regularly get health services here and we are impressed with the improvement and the news of new machines,” he said.