Developing an African cardiothoracic surgery database.

There is a lack of reliable data to measure the impact of cardiovascular surgical activities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to compare with those of the other sub-regions. The Pan African Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery (PASCaTS) proposes development of an African cardiothoracic surgery database with pooled datasets similar to the practice in other continents. This would ideally serve as a working instrument to evaluate the burden of disease and to develop strategies for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and associated morbidities in these regions, ultimately with improved clincial outcomes.