Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 31 No 3 (May/June 2020)

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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 31, No 3, May/June 2020 162 AFRICA
Cardiovascular Topicsrhythm Africa 2020 report
The inaugural meeting of the Africa Heart Rhythm
Association (AFHRA)
Mohamed Jeilan, Joselyn Rwebembera, Hassan Aden, Loreen Akinyi, Olujimi A Ajijola, Ashley Chin,
Bundhoo Kaviraj, Kamilu M Karaye, Amam Mbakwem, Beatrice Murage, Marcus Ngatcha, Mohamed
Salim, Cabral Tantchou, George Nel, Aimé Bonny, Muzahir Tayebjee
Abstract
Cardiorhythm Africa, the inaugural conference of AFHRA,
was conceived during the biennial PASCAR congress held
in Johannesburg in November 2019, with the ambition to
be the largest ever pan-African conference focused purely
on arrhythmia. Significant aims were to (1) bring together
arrhythmia specialists from across Africa and from the
diaspora; and (2) announce the newly formed African Heart
Rhythm Association (AFHRA), an affiliate organisation of
PASCAR formed from the amalgamation of the Cardiac
Pacing and Arrhythmias taskforces. The meeting held in
Nairobi (29–31 January 2020) was organised to provide
a focus on resource-constrained arrhythmia management
within the African context and novel/advanced and poten-
tially home-grown solutions. There was full representation
from all five PASCAR regions (North, East, West, Central
and Southern Africa). This report summarises the scope and
perspective of the first Cardiorhythm Africa meeting and
presents the future directions for this annual meeting.
Cardiovasc J Afr 2020; 31: 162–164
DOI: 10.5830/CVJA-2020-019
Cardiorhythm Africa, the inaugural conference of the African
Heart Rhythm Association (AFHRA) was conceived during the
biennial Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) congress
held in Johannesburg in November 2019 with the ambition of
being the largest ever pan-African conference focused purely
on arrhythmia. Significant aims were to (1) bring together
arrhythmia specialists from across Africa and from the diaspora;
and (2) announce the newly formed AFHRA, an affiliate
organisation of PASCAR, formed from the amalgamation of the
Cardiac Pacing and Arrhythmias taskforces.
Surveys conducted by PASCAR over the last decade have
indicated a significant problem with access to expertise and
technology in the field of arrhythmia care in Africa and
an unmet gap in training.1-3 The meeting programme was
organised to provide a focus on resource-constrained arrhythmia
Department of Cardiology, Aga Khan University Hospital,
Nairobi, Kenya
Mohamed Jeilan, DM,
Hassan Aden, MB ChB, MMed
Uganda Heart Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Joselyn Rwebembera, MB ChB, F Card
Africa Heart Rhythm Association (AFHRA), Nairobi, Kenya
Loreen Akinyi, BSc
David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Olujimi A Ajijola, MD, PhD
University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape
Town, South Africa
Ashley Chin, MB ChB, MPhil
Department of Cardiology, Dr AG Jeetoo Hospital, Port
Louis, Mauritius
Bundhoo Kaviraj
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Bayero University, Kano,
Nigeria
Kamilu M Karaye, BM BCh, PhD
University of Lagos and Department of Medicine, College of
Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
Amam Mbakwem, MD
Philips Research Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
Beatrice Murage, MB ChB, MBA, MBD
Homeland Heart Centre, Douala, Cameroon
Marcus Ngatcha, MSc
Department of Cardiology, Aga Khan University Hospital,
Mombasa, Kenya
Mohamed Salim, MD, CEPS
Cardiac Centre Shisong, Shisong, Cameroon
Cabral Tantchou, MD, PhD
West Yorkshire Arrhythmia Service, Leeds General
Infirmary, Leeds, UK
Muzahir Tayebjee, MB ChB, MD
Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR),
Johannesburg, South Africa
George Nel
Homeland Heart Centre and District Hospital of
Bonassama, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
Aimé Bonny, MD, MSc