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By Alex Osei-Boateng
ACCRA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese cardiac team has left indelible marks in the lives of Ghanaian families at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, some 270 km northeast of the capital.
Cardio experts from the Guangdong Academy of Medical Science's Cardio Institute performed successful surgeries for ten cardiac patients at KATH during their first visit to Africa in December last year.
The surgeries has brought back laughter and joy to the patients who were enduring pain for most part of their lives in Kumasi, Ghana's second largest commercial city. But for the surgery, many of the patients had few months or years to live.
Esther Konadu Boateng, one of the 10 patients who had her life back after the surgery, thanked the Chinese experts for their kind heart and their decision to carry out the surgeries at KATH with the complement of Ghanaian specialists.
"I came here last year December and had ventricular septal defect so they repaired it, they filled the hole and since then I am fine and okay,"she told Xinhua, beaming with smiles as she met the Chinese delegation on Thursday for the second time.
Another patient, 15-year-old Lydia Manu also praised the team for saving their lives and helping Ghanaian patients with special needs.
"When I was brought to the hospital, after regular check-ups, I was told that I needed a surgery and that is why I came here. And after the surgery by the Chinese team I feel comfortable. I thank them for saving my life," said Manu who aspires to be a nurse.
Dr. Huang Jinsong, who was one of the leading members of the Chinese medical team said he was highly elated seeing them hale and heart and are able to go about their normal daily schedule.
"I am happy to see them healthy and hearty seven months after the surgeries," he told Xinhua.
The long-term goal of the collaboration between Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is the training of Ghanaian practitioners to perform cardiac surgeries independently.
