For the first time in Uganda, doctors at the International Hospital Kampala successfully carried out the first two open-heart operations.

The operations to repair atrial setal defects, commonly known as a hole in the heart, were carried out by a fourteen strong team of experts, including two British, carried out both operations

Mark Atwine from Bushenyi, will have the honor as the first Ugandan to undergo a heart operation in his country.

He was diagnosed with a hole in the heart at the age of nine and was operated on last Friday(13th April 2007)

The second operation was carried out on Sunday on David Kalenjera, 17, who was found with the same problem six years ago.

Both boys had endured the pain for years, as there was no hope their parents could raise the over $11,000 (about sh20m) for the cheapest surgery in India.

Dr. Ian Clarke, the director and proprietor of the hospital, told The New Vision that although each operation cost $6,000 (sh11m), they were carried out free of charge under the auspices of Hope Ward, a charity department of the hospital.

Source: New Vision Online

[tags] uganda [/tags]

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