Invasive cardiovascular needs in South Africa: a view from afar up close

Unmet interventional cardiology needs have been identified in South Africa. These relate to inadequate staffing in terms of the consultant faculty in public teaching hospitals, a marked shortage of trained interventional cardiologists, limited experience of fellows in complex interventions, availability of the newer devices, haemodynamic assessment and treatment of structural heart disease, and limited interaction between public and private practice cardiologists. Resolution will require multiple initiatives. Managing these challenges would allow South Africa to become a model for other underserved healthcare systems.

Interventional cardiovascular care is evolving rapidly in terms of the specific diseases to be treated. These ...