Fri | Sep 19, 2025

Charity Chain of Hope to perform 12 heart surgeries at Bustamante Hospital for Children

Published:Monday | February 24, 2025 | 3:26 PM
A team of doctors perform what was described as the first ever anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) surgery at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in St Andrew in November 2023. It was done through the Chain of Hope.
-File photo
A team of doctors perform what was described as the first ever anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) surgery at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in St Andrew in November 2023. It was done through the Chain of Hope.

International children’s cardiac charity Chain of Hope is set to perform 12 heart surgeries at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in St Andrew during its latest mission to Jamaica.

The week-long initiative provides free surgical care for children with congenital heart defects.

The team is led by Professor Victor Tsang, a paediatric cardiac surgeon from Great Ormond Street Hospital in the United Kingdom. He has been part of Chain of Hope’s missions to Jamaica for 22 years.

He is joined by Dr Zeit Lund, a cardiac surgeon from Sweden, who is making his first visit.

The charity says the demand for paediatric heart surgeries remains high, with more than 170 children awaiting urgent procedures.

Chain of Hope’s Chief Executive, Emma Scanlan is also in Kingston to personally donate 25 syringe pumps valued at over US$30,000, along with an additional US$50,000 worth of critical medical supplies.

"This contribution will help build the hospital’s capacity to deliver high-quality cardiac care long after the mission ends," a statement said on Monday.

In addition to surgeries, the visiting specialists over the weekend trained over 30 nurses in paediatric cardiac assessment and care, supporting efforts to develop a self-sustaining cardiac unit at the hospital.

"These efforts are part of the charity’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the local healthcare workforce and developing a sustainable paediatric cardiac service for the island to ensure more children receive the cardiac care they need year-round," the charity said.

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