Portuguese surgeon Manuel Antunes, who leads the mission to perform free surgeries at the Heart Institute (Icor) in Maputo, stated that Mozambique requires about 50 thousand annual heart operations, but the capacity to perform them remains limited.
Manuel Antunes, a retired professor from the University of Coimbra and an invited specialist, addressed journalists during the 24th consecutive mission of the Portuguese team at Icor. This mission began in 2001 and was only paused for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team also includes one other surgeon and two specialized nurses.
According to the doctor, 16 patients were evaluated, pre-selected by the institute's cardiologists to determine the need for surgical intervention. These cases include children and adults with damaged heart valves, primarily related to rheumatic disease, as well as a patient with severe coronary artery disease following an acute myocardial infarction.
Antunes explained that rheumatic disease is widespread in Mozambique, often affecting the heart valves of children under 12, causing their complete destruction. His specialization includes mitral valve repair and replacement of valves that can no longer be repaired.
In the first days of the mission, which will last until November 11, the team performed four surgical procedures: two operations on women, one on a man, and one on a 13-year-old child, with at least one additional operation planned.
Among the other examined patients are two adults—aged 51 and 75. The mission lasts seven days, six of which are dedicated to free surgical activities under the Icor humanitarian program.
Cooperation between the Portuguese and Mozambican teams began in 2001 and has allowed for the development of local capacity for cardiac surgery over the years. Manuel Antunes noted that in 2010, three Mozambican surgeons began performing such procedures independently, and international missions gradually transformed into a model focused on supporting and improving the technical skills of local specialists.
He emphasized that local surgeons currently perform about 200 operations per year, and all missions combined can perform 50. Nevertheless, he added that they work year-round, which is an important factor.
Despite the progress made, the specialist believes that current activity significantly lags behind the country's needs. He stated that the country, with a population of 35 million people, needs 50 thousand operations per year, and what is being done now is 'just a drop in the ocean.'
Manuel Antunes pointed to the size of medical facilities and the availability of specialized teams as the main obstacles to expanding cardiac surgery in Mozambique, as Icor, being a private institution, cannot meet the existing demand on its own. He called for the participation of other teams and hospital departments, mentioning that the Central Hospital of Maputo (HCM), the largest in the country, also performs some interventions, albeit infrequently.
The doctor noted that Icor's equipment is comparable to that used in Coimbra, and the main task is to scale up the number of operations. He also compared the costs: in Coimbra, an operation can cost between 12,000 and 15,000 euros, whereas at Icor, including materials provided by the Portuguese team, the cost can range from five to six thousand euros.
Of the 16 patients examined during this mission, 12 were referred to Icor by the Central Hospital of Maputo, and the doctor added that about half of the patients are under 20 years old. Rheumatic disease, common in many African countries, can cause heart valve damage in childhood, the consequences of which often persist into adulthood and require surgical treatment.
