BLOEMFONTEIN – The multi-million-rand Paediatric Cardiology Catheterisation Laboratory at the Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH) in Bloemfontein is expected to save the lives of countless children and significantly improve access to cardiac care. Fitted with high-tech equipment, the facility cost the Free State Department of Health R33 million says Ernest Mohlahlo, head of the Free State Department of Health.

The facility ends the need for patients in the Free State to travel to other provinces for specialised treatment. It will also serve other provinces, including the Northern Cape, and the neighbouring country of Lesotho. At the official opening on Tuesday 9 June, Health MEC Monyatso Mahlatsi described the facility as a milestone.

Prof. Daniel Buys, paediatric cardiologist, said the digital laboratory was one of a kind. “This is the best technologically equipped cardiac catheterisation laboratory in South Africa, and most likely in Africa. It was a long journey to get to this stage of having a full-fledged Cardiology Catheterisation Laboratory,” said Buys. He said more than 6.5 million people in the facility’s catchment area stand to benefit from the centre.

Buys said the centre was positioned to deal with congenital heart disease (CHD), which he said remains the most common type of birth defect globally, affecting approximately 1% of all live births. “Of those children, 25% would need cardiac intervention within the first year of their lives. Small babies need high-tech equipment such as what we have at this centre. The facility is a main pillar in terms of our focus in service delivery, especially given the perception that public health facilities are not the best,” said Buys. He said all staff are well-equipped in their profession to ensure quality service delivery.

Buys said the centre team conducts outreach across the province and neighbouring provinces, adding that the centre also involves the training of medical students, nurses and technologists. “We are also part of a research centre,” said Buys.

According to Mohlahlo, the highly technologically equipped centre represents the department’s ambitious investment in health technology. He said the priority was to reduce surgical backlogs across all health facilities.

The centre’s benefits include:

• Pulmonary hypertension assessment: Offers specialised diagnosis and monitoring for complex pulmonary and cardiac pressure conditions.
• Minimally invasive heart repairs: Corrects specific congenital and structural heart anomalies without major surgical incisions.
• Advanced cardiac diagnostics: Delivers rapid, precise imaging and measurement of internal cardiac structures.