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Magdi Yacoub spent the early part of his life following his father, also a surgeon, around to different parts of Egypt – driven by the needs of different communities and requests from the government. Of all the places he went as a boy, Aswan was special to him for the unique diversity, beauty and culture he saw there.
While this impression lasted for him into his adult years, he had not necessarily been struck by the profound medical need until later in his life. As a young surgeon, he met children and families from Aswan who traveled long distances to receive care. They were in greater need, distress and desperation than many of his other patients. In simple terms, they were dying.
In 2009, Prof. Sir Magdi Yacoub launched the Aswan Heart Centre to reach
the most vulnerable people in Egypt. While today we look forward to an exciting new chapter with a second, expanded campus in Cairo, Magdi Yacoub’s vision of medical excellence in the Middle East and Africa was born in Aswan. The spirit that animated him then continues to define our work and inspire individuals from around the world to strive for a brighter, healthier future.
More than providing for the immediate care needs of the surrounding community, Magdi Yacoub thought about the future – first for his patients, who would have a new opportunity for a healthy, happy life; second for the health care system more broadly, which needed to be staffed by qualified experts for superior patient service; and third for the possibilities of science, as research and discovery improve our understanding of diagnosis, care and treatment.
This influenced the direction Magdi Yacoub sought to go in the future, thinking about the challenges of care delivery and having a lasting impact that went beyond one-off interventions to provide consistent, excellent and accessible medical care. He could think of no place more in need and more important to bring medical expertise to than Aswan – first for the impact it would have on the immediate surrounding community, and second for advancing its historical position as a gateway to the rest of Africa, elevating its potential as a location to reach even further into places of need throughout the continent.
Today, the city has 1.5 million residents, but they are no longer underserved as they were in the past – and, together with generous Egyptians, both rich and poor, and a global network of supporters that stretches to the United States, we will ensure that they will never go back to being underserved again.
Today, the Aswan Heart Center is stretched beyond its capacity, leaving us challenged to fully meet the needs and great demand for cardiovascular treatment in Egypt. To address this problem, Magdi Yacoub asked how the impact of our work could be scaled and extended to even greater effect for people in need. Thus was born our most ambitious project yet-the new Global Heart Center.
Our vision for the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre is to broaden the impact of our three core pillars at the Aswan Heart Centre:
Expand Access to World-Class Treatment.
Our objective is to expand the size of our facility to accommodate up to 120,000 outpatients and treat up to 12,000 patients annually.
Triple the Number of Training Graduates.
We aim to expand our training program to train approximately 1,750 healthcare professionals and scientists annually from Egypt, Africa and beyond.
Develop an Advanced Scientific Research Center.
To become a Center for Innovation in heart-related medical research, to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in some of the most socio-economically challenged in Africa, and developing advanced treatments for complex diseases.
Expand Access to World-Class Treatment.
Our objective is to expand the size of our facility to accommodate up to 120,000 outpatients and treat up to 12,000 patients annually.
Triple the Number of Training Graduates.
We aim to expand our training program to train approximately 1,750 healthcare professionals and scientists annually from Egypt, Africa and beyond.Develop an Advanced Scientific Research Center.
To become a Center for Innovation in heart-related medical research, to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in some of the most socio-economically challenged in Africa, and developing advanced treatments for complex diseases. Groundbreaking on the new Global Heart Center occurred on the
nn of Month, Year. To learn about this new, ultra-modern medical facility
currently under construction in the technological heart of Cairo, click below.
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Please open your heart today to join us, recognizing the difference that you can make on the frontiers of knowledge, the future health of our world and the life of a child.
