The secretary-general of Mauritania's health ministry, Abdi Salem Cheikh Saadbouh Cheikh Tourad, on Saturday opened the first Nouakchott forum on heart valve diseases, attended by doctors, experts and researchers from Mauritania, France, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
In his speech, he said the forum is an opportunity to strengthen the link between medical expertise and scientific research and to share experience and knowledge, highlighting Mauritania's progress in recent years in cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology, which has improved local patient care and reduced the need for medical evacuations abroad.
He added that these gains will be reinforced by the expansion of the National Cardiology Centre, aimed at developing its technical capacity, increasing its intake and improving the quality of its specialised services.
He also stressed the need to step up prevention and early diagnosis of rheumatic heart valve disease through early detection and timely treatment of throat and tonsil infections, more awareness campaigns and ensuring essential medicines are available.
