56 selected for open heart ops

FIFTY-SIX patients have been selected for the operation open heart (OOH) programme which started last Friday.
They were selected from more than 200 cases from around the country.
Head of paediatrics at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) Dr Nakapi Tefuarani said 41 children were among those selected.
He said since Saturday, seven children had undergone open heart surgeries. Two have come out of the intensive care unit (ICU) and were recovering in ward seven.
“Everything is going on smoothly in the recovery wards and everyone is happy, thanks to the efforts of our hardworking staff, sponsors and the parents and guardians of these patients,” Tefuarani said.
“A big thank you also goes to the hospitals around the country for sending their patients to receive this lifesaving operation.
“We only screened the patients and the sponsors and hospitals were able to support their patients travel to Port Moresby to receive this vital operation,” he said.
Another doctor under the programme, Dr Mathias Tovilu, said of the 15 adult patients selected, eight of them were women with the youngest at age 15 and the oldest at 78.
Tovilu said five had congenital heart defects, two with heart blockages and eight had valve diseases.