From Papua New Guinea to India: Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga’s Heart Bypass Surgery Journey

Patient Details

Name: Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga

Age: 57 Years

Gender: Male

Country of Origin: Papua New Guinea

Doctor: Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally

Hospital: CARE Hospitals, HITEC City, Hyderabad, India

Treatment: Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) x 4 grafts with Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting

Watch Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga’s wife share their full experience in the video below

For Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga, a 57-year-old from Papua New Guinea, things that had once been part of his everyday routine were becoming increasingly difficult. Walking a short distance, climbing stairs, or getting through a normal day at work left him short of breath. He also began experiencing a dull pain in his shoulder that came and went.

Nine months earlier, Mr. Frank had been diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure and was taking medicines for both. He initially thought the tiredness and breathlessness could be related to these conditions. But as the symptoms continued, his local doctors advised him to have his heart examined in detail.

The combination of breathlessness, shoulder pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure raised concerns about a possible heart problem. His doctors recommended a detailed cardiac evaluation and further treatment if the tests confirmed a heart condition.

Getting the specialised cardiac care he needed locally was not easy, so Mr. Frank and his family began looking at treatment options outside Papua New Guinea. India soon became one of the options they considered for his heart treatment. But travelling to another country for major heart surgery also meant figuring out where to go, which hospital and doctor to choose, and who could help them once they arrived.

That was when the family came to know about Vaidam Health through Dr. Syed, a local contact in Papua New Guinea. Mr. Frank shared his medical history and reports with Vaidam, and a case manager began helping the family understand their treatment options and plan the journey.

His reports were reviewed by cardiac specialists at different hospitals in India, and the family received medical opinions and cost estimates. They were guided through the proposed treatments, doctors, hospitals, expected hospital stay, and other practical considerations before deciding where to go.

After considering the options, Mr. Frank chose CARE Hospitals, HITEC City, Hyderabad, where he would be treated by Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally.

With the hospital and doctor decided, the family could focus on preparing for the journey. Visa invitation letters were arranged for Mr. Frank, his wife, and his son, and they received assistance with the visa process, hospital appointment, travel plans, and accommodation. 

Since the family expected to spend about a month in India, accommodation was arranged close to the hospital so that his wife and son could stay nearby throughout his treatment and recovery.

When the family arrived in Hyderabad, a Vaidam representative received them at the airport and took them to their accommodation. They were also helped with practical matters such as getting a local SIM card, exchanging currency, finding their way around the city, and understanding how the hospital process worked.

At the hospital, a Vaidam coordinator accompanied Mr. Frank during his consultation and helped with registration and paperwork. After reviewing his history and reports, Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally advised him to undergo further cardiac evaluation.

A coronary angiogram performed on 1 September 2026 finally provided the answer. It showed that Mr. Frank had critical triple-vessel coronary artery disease, meaning that all three major blood vessels supplying his heart had severe blockages. These blockages were restricting blood flow to the heart muscle and explained the symptoms he had been experiencing.

There was also some reassuring news. His heart's pumping function was still good, indicating that the heart had not yet suffered a significant loss of its ability to pump blood.

After discussing the findings with Mr. Frank and his family, Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally recommended coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). 

Mr. Frank was admitted to the hospital on 3 September 2026, and the next day, 4 September 2026, he underwent four-vessel off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery with endoscopic vessel harvesting.

The surgery went smoothly. After the procedure, Mr. Frank was taken to the cardiothoracic intensive care unit for close monitoring and was later moved to the ward once he was stable.

His diabetes required additional attention during his recovery. Dr. Rahul Agrawal from Internal Medicine was involved in his care, and his blood sugar levels were monitored regularly. A post-operative 2D echocardiogram showed good pumping function of both sides of the heart, with no fluid around the heart.

Recovery then became a series of small but important steps. Mr. Frank first sat up, then stood, and gradually began walking along the hospital corridor. 

On 10 September 2026, six days after surgery, he was discharged. He was stable, comfortable, and able to walk on his own, with instructions about his medicines, wound care, diet, walking, and follow-up.

Although he had left the hospital, Mr. Frank's recovery in India was not yet complete. He and his family remained in Hyderabad for about a month, giving him time to recover and complete his follow-up before returning to Papua New Guinea. 

During this period, his Vaidam case manager continued coordinating his appointments, medical reports, hospital communication, and other practical requirements.

After his follow-up with Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally and the required checks, Mr. Frank was cleared to travel. He finally returned home with his wife and son after completing his treatment and the initial stage of recovery in Hyderabad.

Looking back on the journey, Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga said:

“We came from Papua New Guinea with reports in our hands and no idea where to begin. Vaidam gave us a plan, a hospital and a doctor we could trust, and someone beside us at every step, from the airport to the operation theatre and back. Dr. Ravi Raju Chigullapally and the team at CARE Hospitals treated me with great skill and even greater kindness, and for the whole month we were in India, my wife and son were looked after as well as I was. I arrived breathless and worried; I am going home walking. To anyone in my position, I would say: you are not alone in this, and Vaidam will make sure you never feel that you are.”

For Mr. Frank, what began as breathlessness and shoulder pain led to the discovery of serious blockages in his heart and, ultimately, to four-vessel coronary artery bypass surgery in Hyderabad, India. After travelling thousands of miles from Papua New Guinea, he returned home with his family and continued his recovery.

The Vaidam Health team wishes Mr. Frank Gimana Gamoga a smooth recovery and many healthy years ahead with his family.