The Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital through Muntada Aid’s Little Heart Program is carrying out free treatment for children with heart defects.
Speaking at the hospital on Thursday, Little Hearts Programs Manager at Muntada Aid Kabir Miah said they have so far treated 60 children.
“We have a team volunteering with us from Turkey, they are here to treat as many children as possible over a period of five days. In the last three days, we have treated 21 children so far and plan to treat eight today and continue tomorrow,” said Kabir.
Dr. Suleiman Mwashambi Bakari a Pediatrician (Cardiologist) said 50 percent of children in the coast region are suffering from heart disease.
He said there were different factors that might lead to a child having heart problems.
“It may be hereditary; if the parent had a heart disease then the child might inherit it. If the mother had an infection while pregnant, may be bacterial or viral, then the child might also get heart disease. Sometimes if the other is a smoker or a drunkard or maybe has diabetes then the child might suffer from congenital heart disease,” said Dr. Suleiman Bakari.
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The charity provides free life-saving heart surgeries to children with congenital heart defects from underprivileged backgrounds.
Since 2012, it has carried out 43 missions in 12 countries and performed over 2,600 cardiac interventions and surgeries.
