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| Kanu highlighted that his foundation has sponsored heart surgery for 90 patients who were sent to India for treatment. Photo: Courtesy |
By Charles Mkoka
Former Nigerian national football team and Arsenal player, Nwankwo Kanu, paid a visit to Muhimbili National Hospital's Mloganzila campus intending to check on and comfort patients, while also exploring potential areas of collaboration.
Kanu, the founder, and director of the Kanu Heart Foundation, visited the hospital's heart disease diagnostics unit, the cardiac inpatient ward, and the kangaroo ward, where newborns with low birth weights are kept warm by their mothers.
During the visit, Kanu highlighted that his foundation has sponsored heart surgery for 90 patients who were sent to India for treatment. He commended the hospital’s healthcare providers for their dedicated efforts in ensuring that patients receive proper care and can recover.
Speaking on behalf of the hospital’s Executive Director, Dr. Godlove Mfuko, the Assistant Director of Surgical Services, noted that Muhimbili Mloganzila serves approximately 1,000 patients daily, with around 60 of them facing cardiac challenges.
Dr. Mfuko further added that through the Samia Scholarship program, the hospital has been able to address staffing shortages, particularly in the cardiology department, thus enhancing the quality of heart disease treatments.
Kanu's visit was organized by Vodacom Foundation, which, in partnership with Kanu, is also sponsoring the 'Twende Butiama' cycling competition this year. The event aims to raise funds to support community projects, marking the 25th anniversary of the passing of Tanzania's founding father, Julius Nyerere, who dedicated his life to fighting ignorance, disease, and poverty.