Samir Alam MD FACC FRCP

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💥 About a year ago, our mission team witnessed a moment that changed everything : THE Mekonin Story A 40-year-old taxi driver (Mekonin) —a husband and a father of three—collapsed into full cardiac arrest at a major university hospital that, at the time, could not save him. 🎯 Not because the science was lacking. Not because the knowledge was absent. But because essential supplies were unavailable and dependable systems of care were not yet in place. Through an extraordinary and HEROIC effort of HAE Mission #2 team and local professionals, he was resuscitated and rushed to the nearest facility where heart attack care (Primary PCI) could be performed. That intervention saved not only his life, but the lifeline of his young family. What made this moment even more painful—and deeply personal—was that the hospital unable to care for him was my own beloved medical school. A place I remain profoundly grateful to for training me. 🎯 Yet, like many institutions across the continent, it has lost generations of its trainees (myself included ) to brain drain instead of benefiting from their skills. That experience forced an undeniable truth into the open. The same procedure that is “routine” and lifesaving in high-income settings continues to claim hundreds of lives in low-resource environments—not because it cannot be done, but because access is denied. From that realization, Heart Attack Ethiopia (HAE) took action. We leveraged the story of that taxi driver and entered into an MOU with Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) to test what was possible—launching a two-phase pilot program designed to treat Ethiopians suffering heart attacks regardless of their financial situation. Today, on behalf of our boards , Obse and I are deeply proud and humbled to report to the world: 👉Our exceptional local cardiologists at TASH have now successfully performed life-saving interventions for 100 patients! 👉One hundred precious lives saved. 👉One hundred families spared immeasurable loss. ❤️ Obse and I were deeply honored to join you all virtually at 2:00 a.m. this morning to witness and support the 100th lifesaving procedure. This milestone highlights a fundamental and often overlooked truth: 🔐 The greatest unmet need in interventional cardiology today is not innovation—it is access! My heart is full, and my happiness is twofold—pride in being a graduate of TASH and gratitude for being a small part of the much larger vision carried forward by the leadership and executives of Heart Attack Ethiopia Inc ✊🏾 I am profoundly thankful to our local physicians and nurses who rose to this challenge with excellence and courage; to the mentors from the United States and the United Kingdom; to the volunteers; and to the industry partners who believed in building more durable systems rather than offering temporary solutions. 🎯 There is also a lesson here for every high-profile leader, policymaker, and high-net-worth individual who visits or transits through Ethiopia via our busy airline corridors. 👉Among the 100 lives saved by our local team, 6 were foreign nationals—people in Ethiopia for business, travel, or transit—underscoring a powerful reality: This service is not a luxury. It is a necessity—for Ethiopians and for the global community alike. And most importantly, this is just the beginning. 🔑 We invite donors, philanthropists, industry partners, and local and national government leaders to join us in building a more durable, scalable, and lasting collaboration—one that moves beyond pilot programs to permanent systems of care, strengthens local capacity, and ensures that no life is lost simply because access was out of reach. 🎯 Today, we celebrate 100 lives saved and Tomorrow, together, we can save thousands. @FMoHealth @MekdesDaba @fitsumaregaa @dereje_dugumaMD @mmamas1973 @SCAI @ACCinTouch @DrTedros @DrSenait @Medtronic @AbbottNews @BSCCardiology @terumoisuk @PiedmontHealth @ArtivionInc @BiosensorsLtd @cordis

Mark your calendars for #AUBGivingDay! This is our moment to unite, to give back, and to empower the next generation of leaders and changemakers. Your contribution of any amount helps sustain excellence, expand access, and build a brighter future. alumni.aub.edu.lb/s/1716/giving/… #AUB

Join us for the annual #WIC Networking luncheon at #AHA25. We will be honoring @SamiaMoraMD, who is the 2025 Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award recipient. This will be followed by a panel discussion: “Keep Calm and Carry On: Resilience and Leadership in Turbulent Times” with: @NanetteWenger @Drroxmehran @NMHheartdoc @HeartBobH, James De Lemos and Priscilla Hsue Saturday, November 8th; 11:30am -1:30pm CT) – Hilton Riverside Hotel, Churchill C1, Floor 2 To register: xpressreg.net/register/AHSS1… @Bweber04 @MonSangh @JonPHeart @DrJMieres @EugeniaGianos @drstaceyrosen @RBP0612 @KTamirisaMD @DrMarthaGulati @WomenAs1 @dranulala @gina_lundberg @emilyswlau @GarimaVSharmaMD @DrDastmalchi @pamelasdouglas @FaRodriguezMD