“A recent survey on open heart surgery and angioplasty in France published by the French magazine L’express of Paris indicates that the Cardiac Centre of Pamplemousses run by the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care, is among the centres carrying the highest number of heart surgery, more than 400 per year.

 The rate of success at the centre is also among the highest in the world. This feat is ascribed to the high level of professionalism of the entirely Mauritian team of doctors and nursing staff who are regularly under training by eminent cardiac professors and surgeon. This week’s visiting cardiac surgeon is world famous Michal Wojtalik who is a specialised in paediatric cardiac surgery”.

« Professor Michal Wojtalik, on the left, operates children with very complicated congenital heart defects”.
Photo 2b “Professor Michal Wojtalik, who operates free of charge, is also training a team of local surgeons in paediatric heart surgery”. « Once the rib cage opened, it is often four hands that work on the defective heart of the small patients ».

« Zoom on the work of the surgeons who will operates around twenty patients during the present session. Some of the children are being operated on for the fourth time, for these complicated
operations are done by phase”.

« The heart-lung machine of the Cardiac Centre which takes over the function of pumping blood and oxygenation the body during an open heart surgery ».

 « En avant plan l’appareil cœur-poumon du centre de cardiologie de Pamplemousses. C’est lui qui prend la relève des
fonctions du cœur lors des opérations cardiaques à cœur ouvert ». « High tech monitors are used during open heart surgery ».

« Professor Wojtalik, is among the rare paediatric heart surgeons in the world. He has so far operated on more than 2000
children, in his native Poland, but also freely around the world. One paediatric heart surgery can cost around Rs 1, 5 million, depending on the number of phases needed”.

« Pierre Louis Anne Fiona, 5 years old, of Soupirs, Rodrigues sitting by the side of her mother after her open heart surgery. The latter says that she will no more live in the fear that her daughter’s heart might fail at any moment. Their air ticket has been paid by the ministry of Health.

« The Cardiac Centre carries operation on children of different ages, some only some months old. The faces of these two children have been hidden on the photo to preserve privacy.

« Victoria Offman, 6 years old of Baie-du-Cap is almost in good shape after her open heart surgery. Her mother, Jennifer smiles as she frowns. She says that parents with children having congenital heart defects should not be afraid of open heart operations. According to her, the entirely free medical services given by the Cardiac Centre of Pamplemousses are excellent and the medical as well as the paramedical staff are very supportive to patients and accompanying parents who are allowed to stay by their children after operation.”

Read the French version of this photo story in l''''express dimanche