Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

The History

In June of 2009, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute awarded Moi University of Eldoret, Kenya, in collaboration with its “Developed Country Partner,” Duke University, a contract to establish the AMPATH Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease (CVPD) Center of Excellence. One of eleven funded programs, the award was made in response to the need for more innovative approaches to combating non-communicable disease in the developing world. These diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and pulmonary diseases, account for the leading causes of death in many developing countries, and are expected to account for 80% of the global disease burden by the year 2020 (Boutayeb, 2005).

The Mission

The mission of the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Center of Excellence (COE) was to establish a unique and sustainable continuous quality improvement environment in Western Kenya to cyclically evaluate how to diagnose, characterize, treat, and ultimately prevent chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.  This included:
  • Organizing an administrative core for CVPD clinical care, training, and research;
  • Developing and implementing a competency-based clinical training curriculum;
  • Establishing a clinical research training program;
  • Adopting and enhancing existing data management and laboratory infrastructure for CVPD;
  • Implementing research programs to address prevalence, prevention, and treatment.
Given that Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) did not have subspecialists when the COE was first started, the Hubert-Yeargan Center committed to developing a general clinical cardiology fellowship training program and to addressing the critical shortage of clinical infrastructure. These efforts resulted in the construction of a 10 bed cardiac care unit. For more information about the evolution of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, read https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/org/globalhealth/centers/. See the work taking place at the COE here: Duke Cardiology in Eldoret (YouTube)

The People

Meet the faculty and staff of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

Center of Excellence Accomplishments since 2008

Care
  • Robust Cardiac Outpatient Clinic
  • 10 Bed Cardiac Care Unit
  • 4 Bed Step Down Unit
  • Busy Echo and EKG Lab
  • Echo Screening for School Children
  • EP/TEE Services
  • Cardiac Surgery Clinics
  • ICU/Medical Wards Rounding
  • Pulmonary Outpatient Clinic
  • Pulmonary Consult Services
Training
  • CV Fellowship Training Program
  • ACLS/BLS Training
  • CCU Nurse Training
  • Echo Training
  • Pulmonary Medicine Didactic Sessions
Research
  • Publications >75
  • Grants
    • 2-K01, R01, R21, 2-U01
    • T32, Fogarty, IAS, Chest, Doris Duke
    • Intramural
  • Trainee Mentored Research Projects Clinical Research Training

Make a Difference in Cardiology Care in Western Kenya

“During Morning Report for the Cardiology Service the lament becomes a refrain. “I have a sad story to tell ……” it begins, as the tale of the nights events are shared with all of us present. What is often shared is the “what was”, and the “what could have been”, and facts about the life of a person with a treatable illness who is now no more. The final outcome of these personal stories does not have to end this way, and our bright, eager cardiology trainees and residents know it.” — John Lawrence, MD

Who do we need?

Do you have enthusiasm for working in a developing country?  Do you have cultural competence and flexibility? Do you have a passion for making a positive contribution to the healthcare delivery system in Kenya?  We are currently seeking US trained cardiologists willing to provide electronic didactic instruction for our new cardiovascular training fellowship program trainees.

We are also seeking donations of funding for our care program.

Please email hubert-yeargan@duke.edu to set up a time to speak with a Duke faculty or staff member about ways to get involved.