Abstract
Despite the alarming and growing burden of cardiovascular diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is still a huge lack of specialised institutions in the region with a mean of one cardio-surgical unit for 33 million inhabitants. Despite the numerous efforts from humanitarian organisations made in recent years, the setting up of cardio-surgical units in the region remains challenging with regards to long-term sustainability. Indeed, besides the lack of financial resources, the insufficient local expertise in addition to the inadequate health infrastructure, unpredictable threats from external factors such as recurrent conflicts and humanitarian crises are still major concerns in an environment characterised by endemic socio-political instability. In Cameroon, located in the North West Anglophone region at 500 km from the capital, the cardiac centre of Shisong (CCS) is currently the lone cardio-surgical institution of the country. Fruit of a joint initiative of two Italian Non-governmental organisations namely, Bambini Cardiopatici nel Mondo (ABCnM) and Cuore Fratello (CF), and a local religious partner, the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis (TSSF), the CCS was faced with in the middle of a socio-political crisis that led to the urgent need of revision of the cardio-surgical project. The current paper reviews the impact of the ongoing socio-political crisis on the CCS over the past 3 years, in terms of clinical activities, staff perspectives, and long-term sustainability.
Highlights
According to data from the literature, the highest prevalence of congenital and rheumatic heart diseases is reported in children living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [1, 2]
Besides the challenges related to the scarcity of financial resources, the lack of infrastructures, and local expertise, long-term sustainability is impacted by the unpredictable socio-political dynamics of the local environment [8–10]
Interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery specialities were only reported at the cardiac centre of Shisong (CCS), the lone cardio-surgical unit performing regular surgeries over the last decade [4]
Summary
According to data from the literature, the highest prevalence of congenital and rheumatic heart diseases is reported in children living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [1, 2]. Cardiac Surgery and Socio-Political Crisis in Cameroon In Cameroon, the lone cardio-surgical project of the country faced unexpected challenges following a sociopolitical crisis requiring prompt measures to preserve the institution’s objectives. Interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery specialities were only reported at the cardiac centre of Shisong (CCS), the lone cardio-surgical unit performing regular surgeries over the last decade [4].
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