Burkina Faso/Cardiac Surgery: Chinese doctors share their life-saving expertise

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As part of the bilateral cooperation between Burkina Faso and China, a heart surgery was performed at the Tangandogo University Hospital in August 2024. China showed its love for the people of Burkina Faso through this surgical intervention.

On Monday, August 10, 2024, 14-year-old girl Cherifatou underwent surgery at the Tengandogo University Hospital by doctors from China and Burkina Faso. The girl suffers from valvular disease. This caused the malfunction of her heart valves. This disease prevents Cherifatou from leading a normal life and puts her family in permanent anxiety. Thanks to his support, everything will soon become a bad memory.

On the same day, the binational team performed a second heart surgery. The patient had a congenital heart disease, such as an atrial septal defect. The child benefited from the closure of this communication. The technique used in this surgical procedure is called a mini-thoracotomy, also known as axillary or heart closure surgery. This technique, which has not yet been implemented in Burkina Faso, gives the patient a more aesthetically pleasing appearance of his scar. This improves his self-image.

*Cherifatou valves replaced by mechanical valves*

From August 5 to 15, 2024, the Chinese medical team will go to Burkina Faso to share experience to improve and practice new technologies for cardiac surgery. As a result of this mission, about ten patients, including two children, were selected for surgery. These financially disadvantaged patients received free care from the team.

It is worth remembering that in 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the 73rd World Health Assembly, announcing that China will develop twinning partnerships with 30 African hospitals to support Africa in the fight against both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Communicable diseases. He therefore hopes to participate in strengthening the capacity of African medical teams to treat patients.

It is with this in mind that Tengandogo University Hospital has been twinning with the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China to develop and strengthen cardiac surgery since 2021. Through this twinning, several activities have been carried out, including the above-mentioned activities and others that are currently being carried out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb-AMJ5Hxv8

Mission Phase 2

Professor Ge Jianjun, one of the team members and director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, introduced the various heart surgeries he and his colleagues performed. It was Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at the hospital. The Burkinabe side equipped and asked the professor to improve its performance. There were also complaints. The Burkinabe team hopes to go to China to improve its skills. In addition, she also expressed the hope that Chinese partners would introduce her to value-for-money medical equipment and drug suppliers.

*Ge Jianjun stressed that his team also learned from Burkina Faso’s methods*

Ge Jianjun affirmed that the Burkinabe team is now able to carry out certain operations independently. The professor said that the Burkinabe side was very receptive in the learning process. He praised the doctors of the Righteous Country for their tenacity. He encouraged the team that is working hard to save lives despite all the difficulties.

*Dr. Adama Sawadogo (in front of the microphone) speaks positively of China’s expertise*

The Burkina Faso team, for its part, is very satisfied. “We are used to working with the Chinese in the Third Permanent Mission. For three years, the Chinese team has been working with us on cardiac surgery. This time, in a way, it is the first time, because it is a team that comes with a mission and occasionally comes to support us to reinforce the work that has already been done. This mission is to support us in some aspects of cardiac surgery that have not been done here. The way they carry out cardiac surgery is different from what we have seen so far in European or Arab teams,” declared Dr. Adama Sawadogo, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon at the Tengandogo University Hospital. Please note that the Burkina Faso team plans to visit China in the coming months.