Government has saved an estimated K12.6 billion in medical referral costs following the successful cardiac surgeries on 126 Malawian patients at Blantyre Adventist Hospital (BAH) between 2023 and 2026.
In an interview after witnessing the surgery of some patients at BAH on Thursday, Ministry of Health and Sanitation Principal Secretary Dan Namarika said government typically spends between K50 million and K100 million per patient for specialised heart treatment abroad, particularly in India. The cost covers air travel, hospital bills and follow-up care.
Based on these figures, treating the 126 patients outside the country would have cost government up to K12.6 billion.
Namarika noted that cardiac conditions remain the leading cause of external medical referrals, particularly among children due to limited specialised services within Malawi and neighbouring countries.
“The biggest share of external referrals is due to cardiac conditions. For children especially, heart problems dominate. Previously, these services were not available locally or even in nearby countries such as Zambia and Mozambique,” he said.
this file photo. | Nation
Namarika observed that the initiative has significantly eased both financial and logistical burdens on families and government while improving access to life-saving treatment.
The surgeries are being conducted at BAH in partnership with Hearts for Mission International (H4MI), supported by a team of more than 20 medical specialists and support staff from the United States and Kenya.
Patients benefiting from the programme were identified through screening exercises conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Mzuzu Central Hospital and Zomba Central Hospital.
One of the beneficiaries Andile Jere, who underwent open-heart surgery in April last year, said the intervention saved his life and spared his family from financial ruin.
Cardiovascular surgery team leader John Craig expressed satisfaction with the outcomes, noting that almost all the 126 procedures have been successful, with most patients fully recovering.
BAH chief executive officer Kirby Kasinja also commended the programme, describing it as a major step forward in improving access to specialised cardiac care in Malawi
