Fl. Doctor helps Bze kids with heart problems
Doctors who come to Belize armed with the latest in medical technology and prepared to see Belizean patients are indeed a welcome sight. This week Dr. James Huhta and his daughter, Nurse Brooke Wilhot, will be diagnosing children from all over the country with congenital heart problems using an echocardiogram. Dr. Huhta says early detection is key since one percent of all children have heart conditions.
Dr. James C. Huhta, Cardiologist
“We’re looking at the heart with the ultrasound machine and this is a new technology. It’s a computer that runs the ultra sound waves and shows pictures of the heart. We’ll see the anatomy of the heart and also the function of the heart with colour doppler.
It had to be done with heart catherization before, so it was much more dangerous and it wasn’t really available where there was no cath. Lab. There is no cath. lab in Belize and we’re just beginning to get the ultra sound machines now.
We’ll store those images in a computerised form and take them back and have them available to send to doctors who might see the babies or children later.”
Dr. Huhta will be seeing more patients at the K.H.M.H. tomorrow and in Patchakan on Thursday and possibly Friday. Through the Rotary Club and Gift of Life, patients who qualify will be receiving treatment in Omaha, Nebraska. While in Belize, Dr. Huhta will be working with Belizean paediatrician Dr. Egbert Grinage.
