Bomet hospital organises run for heart patients

Tenwek Mission Hospital. [File, Standard]

Cardiothoracic surgeons at a rural-based referral mission hospital in the South Rift are saving the lives of children with congenital or rheumatic heart disease one heart at a time.

Children with various heart complications have undergone successful operations at Tenwek Mission Hospital in Bomet County.

Sadly, the majority of them are from humble backgrounds and have to endure weeks of waiting as heart surgery is an expensive procedure; this waiting could sometimes lead to death.

To support them, the hospital is planning a marathon on September 7 to raise funds and increase awareness about heart disease and the critical need for cardiac care in the region.

The event aims to bring together community members, healthcare professionals, and supporters from various sectors.

According to the management, funds raised from the marathon will be directed toward purchasing essential surgical equipment, expanding the hospital's infrastructure, and training additional medical staff to handle the increased volume of surgeries.

This they say, will reduce the waiting time for patients in need of heart surgery.

Additionally, the hospital plans to launch community outreach programs to educate the public about the prevention and early detection of heart disease.

These programs will focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, early treatment of strep throat infections to prevent rheumatic heart disease, and regular check-ups to catch congenital heart defects early.

Through these combined efforts, the hospital aims to alleviate the burden of heart disease in the South Rift region and beyond.