Heart Patient Needs Help

A 30 YEAR old unemployed man needs GH¢14,000 to help him undergo open heart surgery to replace his diseased heart valve with a mechanical prosthetic one.

Wahab Iliasu, requires a total amount of GH¢28,000 to cover the cost of surgery, anaestheia and intensive care among others.

A letter signed by Dr Innocent Dzamli on behalf of Dr Lawrence A. Sereboe, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the National Cardiothoracic Center dated December 30, 2011, noted the patient was referred to the centre with congestive cardiac failure.

Investigations conducted by the centre revealed that Mr. Iliasu had rheumatic heart disease with aortic valve incompetence.

'This is affecting his health. He will need an open heart operation to replace the disease valve with a mechanical prosthetic valve,' the letter said.

The Ghana Heart Foundation has pledged to assist by paying 50 percent of the total cost of GH¢28,000 needed to cover the full medical bill for the patient.

The patient's family has so far been able to raise GH¢4500.

A letter from the office of the National Chief Imam and grand mufti of Ghana, Shiekh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu has urged the public and organisations touched by the plight of Mr Iliasu to support him financially.

All payments must be directed to the National Cardiothoracic Centre.

Rheumatic heart disease is a condition during which permanent damage to heart valves is caused by rheumatic fever that generally begins with a strep throat caused by bacteria called streptococcus.

Rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease, can affect many connective tissues, especially in the heart, joints, skin, or brain.

Even though patients may suffer different symptoms, the most common symptoms of rheumatic fever include joint inflammation in the form of swelling, jerky movements, fever, weight loss, fatigue, stomach pain and small nodules or hard, round bumps under the skin.