The Cayman Heart Fund has provided a US$14,000 donation that will be used by the Health Services Authority to further train professionals in detecting and managing heart disease and heart rhythm problems.

The health professionals will undergo training in cardiac stress testing, an essential tool in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. The cardiac stress test training program will be offered online through the University of South Wales.

From left, HSA Medical Director Dr. Delroy Jefferson, clinical head of the HSA Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin, CHF chairman David Dinner and CHF Vice Chairwoman Dr. Bella Beraha are teaming up in the battle against heart disease.

According to a Health Services Authority press release, cardiac stress tests will enable health service professionals to offer earlier and more accurate diagnosis, as well as more effective treatment plans.

Further training will be offered to Health Services Authority physicians in the fields of cardiology and general practice, and also for clinical staff, such as the emergency room nursing team. There will also be a mechanism for in-house training for physicians to share what they have learned from the overseas program.

“The Cayman Heart Fund is committed to improving the cardiovascular health of the Cayman Islands and we use our many programs to achieve this,” said Dr. Bella Beraha, Cayman Heart Fund board vice chairwoman and medical director. “We believe that education is the backbone to creating positive change, so we are delighted to contribute to opportunities such as furthering the education of our medical experts, particularly in the field of cardiovascular medicine.”

“We are very grateful for our invaluable partnership with the Cayman Heart Fund,” added Dr. Delroy Jefferson, medical director of the Health Services Authority. “They continue to show how passionate they are about what they do and the integral role they have in the healthcare of our country with this most recent investment – the training and education of public healthcare professionals.

“This is another wonderful example of how private-public partnerships are helping to provide the best medical care for the people of these islands.”