Maxam presents GH₵30,000 to Cardio Centre

Maxam International, a specialised company in the supply of explosives and associated services to the mining, quarrying and civil construction industries, has presented a cheque for GH₵30,000 to the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to assist it finance its operations.

Mr. Jose Fernando Sanchez-Junco Mans, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company at the presentation ceremony, said the kind gesture forms part of the company’s social responsibility after 23 years of operation in the country’s mining sector.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, Maxam has demonstrated its interest to support the Ghanaian community on many occasions and in diverse ways. Over the 23 years of doing business in Ghana, Maxam has demonstrated various actions that show how the company is critical about its social responsibility to the community.”

Mr. Mans explained that in recent times the company has supported the Kumasi Orphanage; rehabilitation of the Kikam Kims Chip Compound from an old office block into a health facility; partly supported the rehabilitation of Tarkwa Police Officers bungalows; provided food for the Tarkwa Orphanage; and also provided support to the University of Mines and Technology with a video conference room and equipment.

 “The Cardiothoracic Center is an important unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and we hope the donation will go long way in supporting its activities,” he said.

Ahunuabobrim Nana Pra Agyensem VI, Paramount Chief of Assin Kushia said: “Maxam is a company that has a ‘heart’ and is trying to demonstrate support for the Cardiothoracic Centre. The gesture is the beginning of a long relationship between the company and the cardio unit. It is very easy for us all to fall victim, and we are trying to help,” he stated.

Dr. Lawrence Serebour, Head of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, said the donation will go a long way to save lives and improve the life-expectancy of at least two or three Ghanaians who will be treated at the cardio unit.

Dr. Serebour said the average cost of treatment, even at the subsidised rate, ranges between US$6,000 and US$8,000, which is way above what the average Ghanaian can afford to pay.

Last year the National Cardiothoracic Centre had over 400 operations of various degrees, with about half of those being open-heart surgeries -- mostly done on children whose parents could not have afforded the cost but for donations from companies like Maxam and the others, he said.

Dr. Sereboe indicated that in Ghana having a heart disease is not the problem, but getting the cure one needs -- especially when surgery is involved. 

“We are having an ever-increasing number of patients, especially children. If you look at the population of Ghana and the number of births we have on an annual basis, one out of every 100 births will have a hole-in-heart condition.

“You can imagine how enormous the problem is.  Apart from having this problems, we have people who are born with normal hearts but then they develop a problem that needs surgery. 

The average cost for a hole-in-heart surgery is about US$6,000 to US$8,000 and the more complex ones are more. How many Ghanaian families can afford this readily?” he said.