At least eight patients received free open heart surgery care last week, courtesy of an 18-member team of visiting surgeons.

The exercise was carried out at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda by specialists under the banner, Physicans Across Continents, a nonprofit organisation based in Saudi Arabia.

 "Our mission is to deliver adequate healthcare to those in need any where in the world,” Dr Rakan Nazer, a cardiac surgeon, said. 

He said they were invited by a local charitable agency, Open Windows.

"We learnt that there were many patients here who needed heart surgery care, but could not afford it, so we had to come in,” Dr Muhammed Tamim, also a cardiac surgeon, said.

Dr Nazer said plans are underway to sponsor local medics for studies related to cardiac care in North Sudan.