The CCPC Resumes Cardio-Paediatric Procedures

The Cuomo Cardio-Paediatric Centre in Dakar has begun performing treatments and procedures for its cardio-paediatric patients again.

Since March, with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the centre was converted into a temporary intensive care unit for coronavirus patients. By temporarily suspending its cardiac procedures, it was able to utilise its highly qualified specialized medical staff and state of the art medical equipment to concentrate on effective treatments for Covid-19 patients in its converted ICU’s. Over 90 patients were hospitalised in the converted ICU’s and successfully treated for serious Covid-19 related symptoms and illnesses. The swift response of the CCPC to the Covid-19 health situation proved to be an essential and effective tool in Senegal’s fight against the pandemic.

The swift response of the CCPC to the Covid-19 health situation proved to be an essential and effective tool in Senegal’s fight against the pandemic.

Forced reconversion has produced convincing results. Over 90 patients were hospitalised in the converted ICU’s and successfully treated for serious Covid-19 related symptoms and illnesses.

The government of Senegal took decisive measures to contain the pandemic and mitigate its socio-economic impact. A recent study published in the American online magazine Foreign Policy ranked Senegal as the 2nd highest positive score in its Global Response Index listing of 36 countries. The score for each country was calculated on various criteria in relation to Covid-19, such as public health guidelines and directives, response and allocation of financial resources, usage of scientific data issued by the World Health authorities and freedom of the press to produce unbiased and fact-based public communications.

The Cuomo Foundation, together with its partners the CHNU Fann and La Chaîne de L’Espoir, applauds the CCPC in its latest successful temporary transformation, its ability to lead the way as a ‘model of care’ and the resumption of its primary medical function of cardio-paediatric procedures. Since the CCPC opened its doors in 2017, as the first paediatric open-heart surgery centre in West Africa, it has successfully performed on over 500 patients from both Senegal and its neighbouring countries.