| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Cost of common heart surgery | USD 3,800 to 7,500 (about GHS 45,600 to 90,000) |
| Time in hospital | 2 to 3 days for angioplasty, 7 to 10 days for open-heart surgery |
| Total time in India | About 1 week for angioplasty, about 3 weeks for open-heart surgery |
| Visa | Indian e-Medical visa online, plus an attendant visa for one family member |
| Health requirement | Yellow fever certificate, taken at least 10 days before you fly |
| Flights | No regular non-stop flight. Most routes from Accra stop once, for example in Addis Ababa, Dubai or Doha |
| First step | Send your echo, angiogram and ECG for a free written opinion within 48 hours |
Heart surgery in India from Ghana or at home?
Ghana’s National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra has treated heart patients for decades, and for many Ghanaians it is the right place for surgery. In early 2024, a patient there was quoted about US$8,000 for valve surgery, including tests, the operation, intensive care and up to two weeks of stay, according to the Ghana News Agency.
So why do some Ghanaian families still choose India? Price is rarely the only reason. These are the reasons that usually decide it.
The waiting time
When there are more patients than theatre slots, waits can stretch. In India, once the surgeon has reviewed your reports and you arrive, surgery is usually scheduled within a few days.
Complex and specialist cases
Some operations, such as TAVI (valve replacement through a catheter), MitraClip, robotic bypass or repairs for complex heart defects in babies, need specialist teams and equipment that only some hospitals have. The large Delhi NCR hospitals do them regularly.
Choice of hospital and surgeon
In India you can compare two or three accredited hospitals, see each surgeon’s experience and choose on price and team, with a written estimate from each before you travel.
A firm figure for fundraising
Many Ghanaian families raise money through relatives, churches and community groups. A written, itemised hospital estimate in US dollars gives donors a clear target and shows exactly where the money will go.
If Korle Bu can treat you without a long wait, that may well be the simplest choice. If not, read on. Our main page on cardiac surgery in India explains every procedure in more detail.
Heart surgery cost in India for Ghanaian patients
These are starting prices at our partner hospitals. The cedi figures use a planning rate of GHS 12 to the dollar, close to forex bureau rates in mid-October 2026 (the Bank of Ghana interbank rate was about GHS 11.7). Hospitals quote and bill in US dollars.
| Procedure | Starting cost (USD) | Approx. in cedis | Hospital stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angioplasty and stenting | $3,800 | GHS 45,600 | 2 to 3 days |
| Bypass surgery (CABG) | $4,500 | GHS 54,000 | 7 to 10 days |
| ASD or VSD closure | $5,500 | GHS 66,000 | 3 to 7 days |
| Heart valve replacement | $7,500 | GHS 90,000 | 7 to 10 days |
| MitraClip | $25,000 | GHS 300,000 | 3 to 5 days |
| TAVI / TAVR | $38,000 | GHS 456,000 | 4 to 6 days |
What the price includes
- Surgeon, anaesthetist and theatre fees
- Your room and ICU days for the planned stay
- Standard medicines and consumables in hospital
- Routine tests during admission
What changes the final bill
- Implants: the type of valve (mechanical or tissue) and the number and brand of stents
- Room category: shared, single or deluxe
- Extra days: if recovery takes longer than planned
- Your health: diabetes, kidney disease or a previous heart operation can mean more tests
The full trip budget
The hospital estimate covers treatment only. For the whole trip, also plan for return flights for two people, the yellow fever vaccination if you do not already have it, about two weeks in a guest house or serviced apartment after discharge, and daily food and transport. Ask us for a living-cost estimate alongside the hospital quote so your fundraising target covers everything.
Which heart operation do you need?
Your reports decide the operation, not the brochure. Here is what each common treatment involves, in plain words.
Angioplasty and stenting
For one or two narrowed arteries, a cardiologist passes a thin tube through the wrist or groin, opens the blockage with a small balloon and leaves a stent to hold it open. Most people go home in two or three days. Read more about angioplasty in India.
Bypass surgery (CABG)
When three or more arteries are blocked, or the main left artery is narrowed, the surgeon uses a healthy blood vessel from the chest, arm or leg to route blood around the blockages. It is open-heart surgery with 7 to 10 days in hospital. High blood pressure and diabetes, both common in Ghana, are among the main reasons arteries narrow.
Heart valve replacement or repair
A leaking or narrowed valve is repaired where possible and replaced when it cannot be saved. Mechanical valves last a lifetime but need daily blood thinners and regular INR blood tests. Tissue valves avoid lifelong blood thinners but may need replacing after 10 to 15 years. Discuss the choice with the surgeon, especially for young women planning a family.
Children’s heart surgery
Many babies and children with a “hole in the heart” (ASD or VSD) can have it closed with a small device passed through a vein, with no open surgery. Larger or complex defects, such as Tetralogy of Fallot, need surgery by a paediatric heart team. See our page on paediatric ASD and VSD repair for how the two approaches differ.
Visa, yellow fever and flights from Accra
The e-Medical visa
Ghanaian passport holders can apply for India’s e-Medical visa online through the official Indian e-Visa portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in), without visiting the High Commission in Accra. The approval arrives by email.
You will usually need:
- A passport valid for at least six months from arrival, with two blank pages
- A recent photo on a white background and a scan of the passport photo page
- The hospital invitation letter, which we arrange once you choose a hospital
- Your medical reports
One family member can travel on an e-Medical Attendant visa linked to your application. Apply for both together, one to two weeks before you fly. Our guide to the e-Medical visa for India explains each step, and our medical visa assistance team checks your forms before you submit.
Yellow fever certificate: do not skip this
India treats Ghana as a yellow fever country. According to a notice from the High Commission of India in Accra, every traveller older than nine months arriving from Ghana must carry a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. The certificate only becomes valid 10 days after the injection, so get vaccinated at least 10 days before you fly. Without it, a traveller can be held in quarantine for up to six days on arrival. Many Ghanaians already have the yellow card, so check the date and carry the original.
Flights from Kotoka
There is no regular non-stop flight from Kotoka International Airport in Accra to Delhi. Most routes stop once, for example in Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines, in Dubai with Emirates or in Doha with Qatar Airways. Schedules and fares change, so check with the airline or your travel agent.
Tips for the trip:
- Ask the airline whether it needs a fit-to-fly letter from your cardiologist
- Choose a short layover and an aisle seat
- Keep medicines, prescriptions and all reports in your hand luggage
- Carry US dollars or an international card; payment goes directly to the hospital
Our coordinator meets you at Delhi airport and takes you to your accommodation or the hospital.
Step by step: heart surgery in India from Ghana
Most families go from first message to admission in two to four weeks. Start the reports, the visa and the yellow fever check at the same time to save days.
- Send your reports. Echocardiogram, angiogram, ECG and recent blood tests, by WhatsApp or our form. Clear phone photos are fine.
- Get a free written opinion. A senior heart specialist reviews your case and replies within 48 hours with the recommended treatment. Our guide to online second opinions explains what is reviewed.
- Compare two or three hospitals. Each sends an itemised estimate. Browse the best hospitals for cardiac surgery in India and the best cardiac surgeons in India.
- Raise funds if needed. Use the written estimate to show donors the exact amount and where it goes.
- Video call with the surgeon (optional). We arrange it if you want to talk before deciding.
- Visa and yellow fever. We send the invitation letter and help with both visa forms. Check your yellow card is valid.
- Fly from Accra. Our coordinator meets you at Delhi airport.
- Admission and surgery. Tests are repeated, the plan is confirmed and surgery is usually scheduled within a few days.
- Recovery and home. After discharge you stay near the hospital until the surgeon clears you to fly, then your discharge summary goes to your cardiologist in Ghana.
Recovery, flying home and follow-up in Ghana
After angioplasty, most patients walk within a day and leave hospital in two or three days. After bypass or valve surgery, expect 7 to 10 days in hospital, then about two weeks of light walking and rest near the hospital.
When can you fly? Your surgeon decides after a final check. As a rough guide, many angioplasty patients fly within a week and many open-heart patients fly 10 days to 2 weeks after surgery. Keep the return ticket flexible until the date is confirmed, and choose a route with a short layover.
Before you leave India, collect:
- The full discharge summary and operation notes
- A medicine list with generic names as well as brand names, so a pharmacy in Ghana can match them
- Enough medicine to last until your first appointment at home
- Your INR target range in writing, if you have a mechanical valve
- The date of your first video follow-up with the Indian team
Back in Ghana, see your cardiologist within two weeks and hand over the discharge summary. If you had a mechanical valve, arrange regular INR blood tests near home before you travel, so there is no gap.
For first-hand accounts from families who travelled to India for treatment, read our patient success stories.
Frequently asked questions
How much does heart surgery in India cost for Ghanaians?
Heart surgery in India from Ghana starts at about USD 3,800 for angioplasty, USD 4,500 for bypass surgery and USD 7,500 for valve replacement. That is roughly GHS 45,600, GHS 54,000 and GHS 90,000 at a planning rate of GHS 12 to the dollar. Flights and living costs are extra.
Is India cheaper than Korle Bu for heart surgery?
Not always. Korle Bu’s National Cardiothoracic Centre quoted one patient about US$8,000 for valve surgery in 2024. Families usually choose India for shorter waits, complex procedures or a choice of surgeons, rather than price alone.
Do Ghanaians need a yellow fever certificate to enter India?
Yes. Travellers older than nine months arriving from Ghana must carry a valid yellow fever certificate. It becomes valid 10 days after vaccination. Without it, you can be quarantined for up to six days.
Is there a direct flight from Accra to Delhi?
There is no regular non-stop flight. Most routes stop once, for example in Addis Ababa, Dubai or Doha.
Can a family member come with me?
Yes. One family member can travel on an e-Medical Attendant visa linked to your visa. We include their name in the hospital invitation letter.
Can children from Ghana have heart surgery in India?
Yes. Paediatric heart teams in India treat children with ASD, VSD and complex defects such as Tetralogy of Fallot. Many holes in the heart can be closed with a device, without open surgery.
Get a free opinion before you decide
Whether you choose Korle Bu or heart surgery in India from Ghana, a second opinion on your reports costs nothing and can save weeks. Send us your echo, angiogram and ECG. Within 48 hours a senior heart specialist replies with a written opinion, two or three hospital options and an itemised estimate in US dollars that you can also use for fundraising. There is no obligation to travel.
Send your reports through our contact form or message us on WhatsApp at +91 85868 19140. Tell us the patient’s age, where in Ghana you are travelling from and what your doctor has advised.
Costs in this guide are starting estimates for planning. The final amount is confirmed by the hospital in writing after a specialist reviews your reports. This article is for information and does not replace advice from your own doctor.
