Zanzibar — PRESIDENT Hussein Mwinyi has called for concerted efforts to control the increasing cases of cardiovascular diseases in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cardiovascular diseases account for most Non Communicable Disesaes deaths, or 17.9 million people annually in the world.
Dr Mwinyi made the call here yesterday during the official closing of a five-day camp for cardiac check up and treatment conducted by Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in collaboration with Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital.
The closing of the camp was decorated by a five-kilometre 'Walk for good health' procession from Maisara grounds where Dr Mwinyi hinted about the burden of cardiac diseases and their effects on work performance and the country's economic growth.
He explained that the special camp and the walk were among the ongoing measures to have every citizen get involved in the fight against NCDs including heart related complications.
Dr Mwinyi said that both Zanzibar and the Union governments have been spending a lot of money to pay for treatment within and outside the country.
He said recent reports show an increase of cardiac patients in the country which is caused by unhealthy lifestyle.
The isles President expressed gratitude to JKCI and its current director Dr Peter Kisenge for good and innovative plans to have camps in different areas of Tanzania to enable people to have access to screening and treatment services.
"We are happy to include Zanzibar in your programme which also comprises capacity building of staff to support the development of the cardiac department at Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital. We look forward for improved cardiac services," Dr Mwinyi said.
He urged JKCI to include Pemba in the camp programme to enable people to undergo heart diagnosis and get treatment along with promoting regular body exercise as the best way to improve the health of the people.
Dr Mwinyi observed "Plans to organise cardiac health camps, and other diseases, in the different areas including villages, will reduce the number of people who develop the diseases and patients referred to Dar es Salaam and abroad.
As a further step to minimise referring patients to Dar es Salaam, Dr Mwinyi advised JKCI to station some of its specialists at the newly built Regional Hospital at Lumumba area in Zanzibar for provision of cardiac-related services.
Dr Mwinyi urged the public to have regular health checks particularly during the special camps and also maintain body exercises such as walking as preventive measures against various diseases, especially NCDs.
"Let us encourage each other to have a culture of regular exercising to strengthen our health and to have a culture of regular health check-ups to determine the diseases earlier and get treatment," he urged the public.
The Zanzibar Minister for Health Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui said there is a need to have a cardiac institution in Zanzibar because in 2021/2022 about 28 per cent of 584 patients who required further treatment by being ferried out of Zanzibar had heart-related problems.
Mr Mazrui said that until December 2022, a total of 2,030 children were diagnosed with heart complications of whom 1,125 required surgeries. A total of 800 children underwent surgery in Israel, and 275 in India while 50 received surgical treatment at the JKCI.
"It is sad that on average three to five children die every month at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital and an average of 110 to 150 cases of newborn babies are diagnosed with heart diseases every year at the hospital. The cost of treating heart patients in Tanzania is between 650m/- and 850m/- per year.
JKCI Executive Director Dr Peter Kisenge said the institution has been receiving patients from various countries including Comoro, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zaire and parts of Europe.
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He noted that in the year 2021/2022 it received 1,087 patients from Zanzibar.
He praised the government for its commitment to serve the people of Zanzibar as the problems of heart diseases have been increasing.
Dr Kisenge assured President Mwinyi that the institution will strengthen cooperation with Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital in providing the services.
"We want to see Mnazi Mmoja Hospital developing so that it can be able to provide heart treatment including performing heart surgery. We can set up a Cath Lab here to start the services as it was for JKCI which started with a room at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI)," he advised.
During the five-day camp a total of 718 people turned up for checkup of whom, 627 were adults and 91children.
A total of 549 adult patients were diagnosed with heart problems while 75 referrals included 49 adults and 26 children.
