Serving People, Improving Health Project: 4 patients from Volyn oblast to receive dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators

In Volyn oblast, four patients with severe cardiovascular diseases, who are in a critical condition, will receive free of charge the innovative life-saving medical devices – dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). One device costs over UAH 170 000.  The IDCs are purchased and provided to patients under the Serving People, Improving Health joint project of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine with the World Bank.

The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is a device that is surgically-inserted into patients’ chest for defibrillation where a strong electrical shock is delivered to restore the heartbeats again. The ICD implantation is effective in lowering the mortality rates of sudden cardiac deaths and prolonging the lifespan of patients with life-threatening cardiac conditions. The ICD implantation is performed under local anesthesia. Patients are typically discharged from the hospital the day after the procedure. The ICD has a lithium battery that should last up to 5-7 years. Then, a new ICD should be implanted.

The first implantation of a dual-chamber cardioverter defibrillator was performed in the Volyn Regional Clinical Hospital on July 27. The recipient was a 56-year-old patient with paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. After the procedure, the patient was discharged from the hospital in a good condition.

In addition, within the framework of the ‘Improving medical care to patients with the circulatory system diseases in the Volyn region’ subproject, which is being implemented with the support of the World Bank and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, a number of high-quality valves and oxygenators have been purchased for the Volyn Regional Hospital. The modern expert class cardiopulmonary bypass, angiograph and ultrasound equipment are to be installed in the near future. The hospital was recently equipped with a cath lab.

"The project aims to help patients, to prolong their lives. The Volyn Regional Hospital will be provided with advanced expert-class medical equipment. The projects makes the high-quality technologies available to us," commented Ihor Vashcheniuk, head of the Volyn regional healthcare department.

In total, under the terms of the implementation of the ‘Improving medical care to patients with the circulatory system diseases in the Volyn region’ subproject, in 2018 the Volyn Regional Hospital will receive high-quality medical equipment and supplies worth UAH 42 million.