We are a loosely affiliated group of cardiologists, support staff and industry colleagues who come together from multiple institutions in order to provide cardiac care to indigent patients all over the world. Our membership is predominantly in the United States but we have active partners all over the world.
President:
Originally from England, David Martin is a cardiac electrophysiologist committed to bringing modern arrhythmia management to the developing world and in creating free access to such therapy for the poor wherever they may be. Dr Martin has been actively participating in Project Pacer International missions to South America, Africa and India since 1991. He has organized and coordinated a number of missions to Bolivia. A medical graduate of the University of London, Dr Martin currently serves as the Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. His clinical interests are in cardiac pacing, defibrillation and ablation.
Chairman:
Co-founder of Project Pacer International with VK Saini, Tom Piemonte has traveled extensively in the developing world over the past 20 years and is fluent in Spanish. A graduate of Holy Cross and New York Medical College, Dr Piemonte has a primary clinical interest in interventional cardiology and currently serves as Director of the Catheterization Laboratory at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Founding Chairman:
Co-founder of Project Pacer International with Dr Piemonte, Virender K Saini was Chief of Surgery at the Carney Hospital, Boston. He devoted much of his time in the last 20 years to caring for indigent patients in India and South America. Dr Saini died in the spring of 2011.
Vice President:
Originally from Argentia, Adelqui Peralta, MD currently servers as the director of cardiac arrythmia service at the West Roxbury VA Medical Center in Boston, MA. He trained in cardiology and electrophysiology at Lahey Clinic and Massachussetts General Hospital in Boston and has extensive experience with clinical care and teaching in the developing world.
Secretary:
Kathy Malewicki, RN serves as the full time logistics coordinator for medical missions to India and South America and is the main contact for donors of medical supplies. In her spare time she works as the stern-"man" on her husband's lobster boat out of Beverly, Massachussetts.
Vice President - India
Trained in India and the UK, Roy John is a cardiologist and electrophysiologist with a long history of working with Project Pacer International both in India and South America. He has led a number of missions to India. Dr John currently serves as a staff electrophysiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
Vice President - Bolivia
Oscar Ferrufino is Professor of Medicine at Seguro Social Universitario in Cochabamba, Boliva where he has an active clinical practice of cardiology and was responsible for the design and construction of their new hospital facility. He was also involved in the planning of the new Viedma Hospital in Cochabamba. Dr Ferrufino has been supporting and hosting medical missions to Bolivia for almost 20 years during which time hundreds of patients with Chagas’ disease have received pacemakers and many others have benefited from similar life-saving cardiac treatment.
Vice President - Paraguay
A cardiovascular surgeon, Adrian Ebner has worked closely with Project Pacer International for 10 years. Dr Ebner leads an active clinical and research program based in Ascuncion.
Vice President - Morrocoo
Rachida Bouhouch is the senior electrophysiologist at the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat Morocco. She trained in medicine in Morocco and completed her cardiac and electrophysiology training in both France and the United States. She is the first Moroccan Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society.
Vice President - Kenya
Harun Otieno leads the interventional cardiology group at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. After completing his training in cardiology in Pittsburgh, United States he returned to his native Kenya to establish an outstanding interventional cardiology program at this academic medical centre.