The Bank Hospital has opened a new Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) in Accra, as part of the hospital’s efforts to expand access to quality diagnosis and prompt management of patients with coronary artery diseases and other cardiovascular conditions.
Speaking at the ultra-modern facility’s unveilling, Chief Executive Officer of The Bank Hospital, ‘Indren Poovan, said the launch of a Cath Lab signifies the facility’s significant milestone in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
He noted that having knowledge on cardiovascular diseases is very necessary since it is the first step to risk reduction: “Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death globally; therefore, it is necessary we educate ourselves”.
Mr. Poovan further educated that globally, heart attacks and stroke account for approximately 85 percent of death resulting from cardiovascular diseases.
Medical Director of The Bank Hospital, Mrs. Charlotte Osafo, indicated that in dealing with the emerging risk of cardiovascular diseases, the country requires proactive measures such as provision of comprehensive cardiovascular care policies, building necessary healthcare infrastructure and training the required human resources.
She explained that the new health infrastructure will allow the hospital to perform diagnostic, interventional and electrophysiology procedures in the future.
“Cardiovascular diseases have remained the leading cause of death at the global level for the past 20 years. Cardiovascular diseases – including coronary artery diseases and their complications – are on the ascendancy in sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana; therefore, this will help save the lives of patients suffering from various kinds of cardiovascular diseases,” she stated.
Ms. Osafo revealed that going forward, the Bank Hospital Cath Lab will introduce additional services that are currently not available in the sub-region; such as arrhythmia services, elective abdominal aneurysm repair and carotid artery stenting.
Presidential Advisor on Health, Anthony Nsiah-Asare, congratulated the hospital for its good work since its establishment, saying: “I would like to congratulate The Bank Hospital for the good work done so far since its operationalisation. You have become very significant in providing additional resources for meeting the health needs of the country’s citizens by providing excellent healthcare”.
Giving statistics on cases of cardiovascular diseases, he indicated that, according to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill about 41million people each year – which is equivalent to about 74 percent of all deaths globally.
“Annually, 17 million people die from non-communicable diseases before the age of 70; and of all the NCD deaths, 77 percent of them are in low and middle-income countries like Ghana,” he noted.
