As part of the Hungary Helps Program, we proudly supported a groundbreaking healthcare mission in Chad, where the Budapest St. Francis Hospital’s medical volunteer team carried out the country’s first-ever pacemaker implantations. This milestone procedure marked a new chapter in Chad’s healthcare system, involving local doctors and specialists in the process.
Over the past two months, Hungarian healthcare volunteers spent more than 140 workdays in Chad, providing medical care to refugees, performing hospital tasks, and conducting educational programs. These activities were carried out in collaboration with Chad’s Ministry of Health, focusing on critical areas that require immediate intervention. The support provided through the Hungary Helps Program was essential in starting the process of making pacemaker implantation available locally, contributing to the reduction of mortality rates related to heart diseases.
One of the most significant achievements of this mission was the successful execution of the country’s first pacemaker implantations in the capital, N’Djamena. After consultations with local cardiologists, six patients were selected for the procedures. The surgeries were performed by Prof. Dr. István Hartyánszky, head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Semmelweis University, along with Dr. Emil Toldy-Schedel, electrophysiologist at the Budai Irgalmasrendi Hospital and CEO of Budapest Saint Francis Hospital. The necessary equipment was provided by Biotronic Hungária Kft. During the procedures, Hungarian doctors worked alongside local colleagues to share their professional expertise. The long-term goal of this program is for local physicians to acquire the skills needed for pacemaker implantation and programming, ensuring that in the future, these life-saving interventions can be performed within Chad. To achieve this, more than ten local cardiologists participated in EKG and pacemaker programming training.
In addition to the pacemaker surgeries, the team also performed follow-up checks on eight patients who had previously received pacemakers at a different hospital. In three cases, electrode position correction was required, as no follow-up had been done since the initial implantation. Moreover, twenty-four in-hospital patients and numerous outpatient clients, including refugee pregnant women, received cardiovascular screenings. Beyond pacemaker implantation, the Hungarian healthcare team carried out other essential interventions and held educational programs, contributing to the expansion of local medical knowledge and capabilities. The Ministry of Health of Chad aims to make pacemaker implantation available locally, eliminating the need for patients to travel abroad (to countries like Morocco, Turkey, or South Africa). This program not only provided immediate life-saving treatments but also laid the foundation for the long-term self-sufficiency of the local healthcare system in this field.
The Hungary Helps Program is proud to have supported this historic mission, which has not only saved lives through the expertise and dedication of Hungarian doctors but also created the conditions for sustainable healthcare development in Chad. We would like to express our gratitude to the Budapest St. Francis Hospital’s rapid-response healthcare team and Biotronic Hungária Kft. for providing the necessary equipment. We also thank all those who contributed to this pioneering project, demonstrating that Hungary offers not only words but tangible support.
