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Future Expansion Plans at AKUH,N
Comprehensive Cardiology Programme
It is estimated that by the year 2020, cardiovascular disease will become the single most common cause of death in developing countries. The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is attributed to an array of eminent risk factors including hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity, unhealthy lifestyles and an aging population.
As a result of the commitment of Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N), to achieving levels of excellence and as agents of change and innovation in the field of health and education, the regional Comprehensive Cardiology Programme is currently under development to enhance its level of care and services in sub-Saharan Africa, and will offer specialised cardiac treatment in the management of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
The programme promises to provide exceptional opportunities in research, while strengthening and excelling learning prospects within AKUH,N. As a result, it is expected that ground breaking advances will significantly impact the management of cardiovascular diseases within East Africa. The AKUH,N Cardiology Programmes aim to become the leaders in clinical protocol by establishing a centre for learning that can be replicated by other health care institutions within the region.
The programme will endeavour to facilitate an extensive range of services, comprising an intensive coronary care unit, consulting services, cardiac emergency services, non-invasive cardiac testing, diagnostic catherisation and angiography, interventional cardiology, peripheral vascular diagnostic angiograph and interventional PTA. Similarly, cardiac surgery, primary and secondary preventions and cardiac rehabilitation services will be available in the Hospital.
At present, the Hospital has a designated cardiology floor in the private wing for cardiac patients requiring an intermediate level of care. However, the Comprehensive Cardiology Programme is scheduled to begin in 2009, in a five-storey state-of-the-art building.
Oncology Programme
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 20 million people are presently living with cancer with 93,000 new cases occurring annually in Eastern Africa. This exponential rise, due in part to longer life expectancy, changing lifestyles and unhygienic living conditions, has seen the development of a regional Comprehensive Cancer Programme at AKUH,N.
The programme’s main objective is to enhance tertiary level services in sub-Saharan Africa with respect to managing cancer patients and offering them a specialised range of oncological treatments including cancer prevention initiatives (screening and early detection), thorough clinical assessments complemented by specialised diagnostics, cancer surgery (consistent with international quality standards) and the latest treatments associated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and brachytherapy, and supportive and palliative care to meet the psychosocial and pain management needs of cancer patients.
These services constitute the ‘cancer patient journey’ based on international practices which offer rapid access to a multi-disciplinary model of care. The specialised skills of professionals, such as medical and radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, physicists, dosimetrists, accelerator technicians and oncological specialists in nursing, pharmacy and counselling, are paramount to the establishment and excellence of care, provided by the cancer programme. A US$ 33.5 million Oncology Centre, to be built and functional by 2009, is envisioned to permanently house the programme. The ‘one destination cancer centre’ will offer patients all the required services in a pleasant ambience where rehabilitation and counselling rooms, speech physiotherapy and other day-care services will also be available to patients.
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