VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) - Lao doctors are working with their Chinese counterparts to develop their diagnostic skills and the treatment of heart disease, in response to the increasing number of cardiovascular conditions being identified across the country.
As part of this, they are learning about modern forms of heart surgery through the use of video.
Training is improving Lao doctors’ ability in the field of heart surgery and the treatment of heart conditions in children through the use of specialised equipment.
The government has been working to upgrade the treatment of cardiovascular disease, Minister of Health Assoc. Prof. Dr Bounkong Syhavong said on Wednesday when welcoming staff from the Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital in China.
He told the delegation, led by Dr Duo Lin, “We want to develop skills and treatment in response to public need. This is also in line with government policy to provide the highest quality of screening, early detection and treatment for the best results in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.”
Cardiovascular disease is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. It is usually associated with a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries and an increased risk of blood clots.
It can also be associated with damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and eyes. Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and disability.
Director General of Mahosot Hospital, Dr Phisit Phoutsavath, said the visit by the Chinese group was a continuation of the development of the health sector by Mahosot and the Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital.
The two facilities had jointly worked to strengthen human resources in the field of cardiovascular disease under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April this year.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Bounkong said better treatment of heart conditions was necessary because the incidence of cardiac disease was increasing each year.
He noted that Lao doctors’ deficiency in this field was the reason why so many people crossed the border for advice and treatment.
