HUMANITARIAN CARDIAC SURGERY, RESULTS OF 20 YEARS ACTION OF THE HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION "AIDE AU DÉVELOPPEMENT DE LA SANTÉ" (ADS)

Abstract

Many NGOs worked in the field of cardiovascular surgery in "less favored" countries. The association "Aide Au Développement De La Santé" (ADS) has been taking such humanitarian action for nearly 25 years, in collaboration with the department of cardiovascular surgery in the CHU of Strasbourg. 2052 patients with curable cardiovascular disease were treated. If these patients come from close to 20th of countries, two projects are very largely dominant and concern in Ukraine (376 patients) and especially in Laos (1575 patients). 1177 treated patients were treated for congenital heart disease, 780 for valvular disease, only 2 for ischemic heart disease, and 93 for other cardia diseases. While patient care is an important part of the NGO's work, the most essential formation is training, skills transfer, and assistance. In addition to the training, there is an important component of financial support: equipment, other materials, bio-medical engineering assistance and construction of a dedicated institute to perform cardiology and cardiac surgery. These efforts resulted in the creation of a Lao-independent team. Since 2009, they have operated 349 patients without any European presence. The result of this genuine cooperation was successful; the transfer of competence was effective. The level of knowledge of Lao surgeons is increasing. The ambition of local authorities is to continue in the management of heart disease, and to expand to ischemic heart disease. Equipment for several operating rooms is underway, illustrating the progress made since 2001.