The Abidjan Heart Institute (ICA) is making significant strides in the treatment of cardiac diseases, particularly in children, thanks to international collaboration and a strengthened transfer of expertise. The outcomes of the latest Canadian medical mission were unveiled during a press conference held at the Institute.

A Major Leap Forward in Pediatric Cardiac Care

The ICA has reached a new milestone in managing heart conditions, especially congenital heart diseases in children. During the recent joint mission conducted with a Canadian medical team from Sainte-Justine Hospital, 24 patients were successfully operated on in just one week — including 8 open-heart surgeries and 16 interventional cardiac catheterizations.

This unprecedented achievement reflects the rapid progress of the local medical team, showcasing their growing autonomy and capacity.

Scaling Up Local Capabilities

This accelerated pace represents a true leap forward for the institute, which was previously limited to one to two surgical cases per week.

"This is a four-year project aimed at enhancing the capacity of the staff at the Abidjan Heart Institute in treating cardiac diseases, particularly congenital conditions, through both surgery and interventional catheterization," stated Professor Kramoh Euloge, Director of the ICA.

Cutting-Edge Techniques Now Mastered

Interventional cardiac catheterization, a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery, has become a cornerstone of innovation at the ICA. This technique allows the treatment of certain congenital heart defects without opening the chest, using devices inserted through peripheral arteries under radiographic guidance.

Today, procedures such as closure of atrial (ASD) or ventricular septal defects (VSD), treatment of patent ductus arteriosus, and balloon dilation of pulmonary valve stenosis are performed with high success rates. In many cases, patients are discharged the very next day.

These advances have saved the lives of children who, without intervention, would have faced a critical or fatal prognosis. The ICA now operates two cardiac catheterization labs, enabling a higher patient throughput and establishing the Institute as a regional leader in pediatric cardiac care.

Making Treatment More Affordable

Another key highlight of the mission was the significant reduction in treatment costs for uninsured patients, made possible through support from Mitrelli and other partners.

For instance:

• Valve replacement, once priced at 5 million FCFA, now costs 2.5 million FCFA.
• Interventional procedures are now available for 1.5 million FCFA, and in some cases are fully covered for families unable to pay.

By comparison, these same procedures can cost 25 to 30 million FCFA in Europe.

"We wanted cost to no longer be a barrier to care," emphasized the ICA’s Director General, underlining the Institute’s commitment to combining technological progress with social accessibility.

A Long-Term Program for National Impact

This second Canadian medical mission is part of a long-term strategy for skills transfer and capacity building, as explained by Eva Peled, Managing Director of Mitrelli Côte d’Ivoire.

"Each mission allows us to assess progress, increase the complexity of the cases treated, and strengthen coordination between all actors in the care chain: surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, ICU staff, and nurses. Our goal is to help make Côte d’Ivoire a regional center of excellence in pediatric cardiology."

She also noted that Mitrelli has provided significant financial support and advanced medical equipment to facilitate the presence of Canadian expertise.

"The idea is not to rely permanently on external teams, but to equip local surgeons to perform the same high-level procedures as in Canada or elsewhere in the world."

Treating Complex Cases in Young Patients

According to Professor Souaga, Head of Cardiac Surgery at ICA, the children treated ranged from 1 to 14 years old, with diagnoses including:

• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Double outlet right ventricles
• Mid-ventricular stenoses
• Rare atrioventricular canal malformations

He also highlighted the contribution of medical equipment worth 180 million FCFA and the invaluable training brought by the Canadian experts.

Toward a Model of Medical Excellence in West Africa

This ongoing initiative, driven by a clear vision of treating more patients, better, and at a lower cost, may well position the ICA as a model for specialized medical transformation across West Africa.

With committed partners and a long-term vision, the hearts of Ivorian children now beat to the rhythm of hope and local expertise.