Our first project is supporting the Cardiac Centre of Ethiopia. This heart hospital opened in 2009 on the grounds of the Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is a fully operational unit taking care of patients with congenital heart disease and acquired valvular heart disease (almost all rheumatic in origin).

 

At the moment, all care is administered by volunteer staff that run missions from 5 to 15 days, operating the procedural suites as well as the operating rooms. Groups from all over the world are scheduled to come on a regular basis to take care of children but also to teach the local staff their craft.

This international effort is intended to eventually render the unit independent from missions, operating solely with the local staff including all specialized professionals. The project will take 5-6 years starting in 2010.

At the heart of this project is the care of children with heart disease, but also an educational component across the country for prevention of acquired heart disease. The CFE is proud to support a project that fulfills precisely the mission of this organization. We also actively participate in actual missions doing the work and education ourselves.

Cardiac Centre of Ethiopia

• Coordinating voluntary medical teams coming to Ethiopia to render treatment including cardiac surgery.
• Teaching local staff in their professional area to eventually become independent.
• Increasing public awareness about Rheumatic Heart Disease.
• Acquiring equipment for the diagnosis, surgical management and follow up of cardiac patients.