Prof. Opoku-Agyemang pays for surgery of 3-year-old boy with hole in heart

The Vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, on Thursday donated $7,500 to cover the cost of the surgery of a three-year-old boy, Patnam Kantam, who is suffering from a hole in the heart.

Prof. Opoku Agyemang also donated GHC5,000 cash to the parents of Kantam to support his upkeep after the surgery.

The three-year-old boy has been on admission at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after being diagnosed with a hole in his heart.

With the family struggling to raise the money for his surgery, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang came to the rescue of the little boy’s family by footing the bill required for the surgical procedure.

Presenting the dummy cheque and the cash to the family at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the vice presidential candidate of the NDC was hopeful that the boy would successfully go through the surgery to correct the hole in his heart.

She also expressed her gratitude to the members of staff of the Centre for their professionalism and dedication to duty.

She said "I just want to express my appreciation for the care you have given him and you give to so many others in different circumstances. I feel rather privileged that it has been possible for us to come and give the necessary support."

For his part, the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Kow Entsua-Mensah, praised Prof. Opoku-Agyemang for not just paying for the cost of the surgery but also for showing up in person at the Centre.

"A lot of people will just send a dispatch with a cheque, but you have found time to personally see the child, the parents, and us. This is a very big gesture born out of the love you have for children in our country", he said.

Dr Entsua-Mensah gave the assurance that the little boy would be scheduled for the surgical procedure soon to correct the hole in his heart.

For his part, the father of the patient, Mr Abdul Majeed Kantam, expressed his profound gratitude to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang for the support she has given his son and prayed for God's blessings upon her life.