Six Jamaican children undergo successful complex cardiac surgery

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Jan 21, 2026 07:35 AM | Health
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Kenyan-based Consultant Intensivist Dr. Kabui Kasuongo (front left), instructs a team of nurses from the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC) Cardiac Centre on post-operative care best practices and skills to support children following surgery. The training session, initiated by Chain of Hope Jamaica and Chain of Hope UK occurred in tandem with six successful cardiac surgeries on children with extremely complex congenital heart defects by a 16-member volunteer team from the United Kingdom from Monday, January 12 to Friday, January 16, 2026 at the BHC’s Cardiac Centre.

A dedicated international volunteer team has just completed a week of life-changing cardiac surgeries at the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC).

The mission, a collaboration between Chain of Hope Jamaica, Chain of Hope UK, and Gift of Life International, provided complex heart operations for six children during Cardiac Surgery Support Week.

The surgeries, performed from January 12-16 by a 16-member volunteer team, gave critically ill children a chance at a healthy future. The children, who otherwise could not access this highly specialised care, were operated on by world-renowned surgeon Professor Victor Tsang, a specialist in paediatric valve repairs and replacements.

“Not all procedures are the same,” explains Dr. Cleopatra Patterson, paediatric cardiac anaesthetist and intensivist at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

“We have some babies with complex cases, some with their hearts tied up in knots that we are unable to unravel. There are a few children who have surgery needs for their particular disease that we simply do not have the capacity to treat due to a lack of specific resources and support. Chain of Hope has helped in these instances, helping us export the children to Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe or Great Osmond Heart Centre in London. They have provided access to both the medical expertise and training that has changed the lives of our children here at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.”

The initiative does more than just surgeries. A core mission is building sustainable local capacity through clinical training and skills transfer. This year, Chain of Hope launched a national cardiac nursing intensive care training programme in collaboration with the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), utilising both in-person and remote instruction.

Since 2007, Chain of Hope Jamaica has focused on developing robust cardiac services for children. Key achievements include helping to establish BHC’s dedicated paediatric cardiac unit, featuring a 10-bed ICU, an operating theatre, and a bi-plane catheterisation laboratory, supported by partners like Gift of Life International, Shaggy and Friends, Digicel, and Sagicor.

Through its ‘Mending Little Hearts’ programme with Chain of Hope UK, the organisation has facilitated hundreds of surgeries and interventions for Jamaican children.

With an estimated one in every 100 children born with heart disease annually — half needing intervention — Chain of Hope Jamaica continues its mission to develop local services and seeks ongoing support and partnerships to help as many children as possible.