Siemens Healthineers collaborates with Gauteng Provincial government to enhance heart care

Siemens Healthineers has announced that it was working side by side with the Gauteng Provincial Government to strengthen heart care where it is needed most.

According to the group, in five of the province’s busiest hospitals, obsolete systems have been replaced with cutting-edge cath labs, enabling minimally invasive procedures that were once out of reach for many patients.

According to Siemens, at a busy hospital in Soweto, a mother who once faced weeks of uncertainty for her son’s diagnosis now receives answers within hours. A stent can reopen a blocked artery before it becomes fatal.

A pacemaker can restore rhythm to a father’s faltering heartbeat, giving him back the strength to work and care for his family. Even children born with congenital heart conditions are being identified earlier through advanced imaging, opening the door to timely treatment. These innovations are not just machines in a ward; they are lifelines, bringing faster, safer, and more effective care to people who once had few options, it says.

Tisha Boatman, executive vice president of external affairs and Healthcare Access at Siemens Healthineers, says: “Managing cardiovascular diseases requires more than just the right equipment; it demands a multidisciplinary approach. We are investing not only in technology but also in the training and education of healthcare professionals to build sustainable systems that deliver quality care.”

The timing of this initiative aligns with World Heart Day, observed annually on 29 September.This year’s theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” resonates deeply in South Africa and across the wider Southern and East African region, where cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are claiming lives at an alarming rate.

According to Siemens, in South Africa alone, heart disease accounts for one in every four deaths. Across the continent, more than one million people die each year from CVDs, a staggering increase of more than 50% over the last three decades.The crisis is being driven by a dangerous mix of hypertension, obesity, air pollution, and lifestyle changes, compounded by systemic challenges: underfunded research, overstretched infrastructure, and a shortage of trained specialists.

Without decisive action, experts warn that Africa faces nothing less than a ticking time bomb for its health systems.The group says South Africa is not alone in this journey. Across the region, Siemens Healthineers is delivering tailored solutions that respond to local realities:In the bustling heart of Bomet County, in Kenya, patients arriving at Tenwek Hospital no longer face the anxiety of breath-holding exercises or heart-rate-slowing drugs just to get a clear scan of their heart.

Thanks to the installation of a Dual Source CT scanner, doctors can now capture accurate images within seconds, transforming how cardiac conditions are diagnosed. For the more than eight million people living in the county, this technology means quicker answers, less discomfort, and treatment that begins on time, often the difference between life and death.

In Luanda, cardiologists recently experienced a first in the nation’s medical history: hands-on training in 4D Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), a special transducer enables an advanced cardiac ultrasound scan delivering high-resolution, real-time images of the heart, allowing doctors to see structural problems as they unfold. For patients in Angola, this marks a transformative leap in cardiac care.

Doctors are no longer constrained by limited tools; they can now access dynamic, high-resolution images of the heart in real time. This capability allows them to plan surgeries and treatments with a level of precision once available only in high-income countries.

At the Uganda Heart Institute, a quiet revolution is underway. A pioneering Cardiac MRI project, developed in partnership with Barts Heart Centre (UK) and the University of Cape Town, is closing critical gaps in advanced imaging by giving doctors a window into the human heart with unprecedented clarity.

For many patients, these scans have been game-changing; the scan results directly influenced life-saving clinical decisions, leading to new diagnoses and life-saving treatments. Behind the technology stands a growing cadre of local talent; more than 60 healthcare professionals trained to use this advanced imaging, ensuring the skills remain long after the machines are switched on.

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