Date:01/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/01/stories/2007100159110500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

New initiative to fund cardiac surgeries for children

Staff Reporter

A trust was formally inaugurated by Stalin

“Almost 2.5 lakh children are born every year with congenital heart disease”

CHENNAI: More than 50,000 children suffering from heart disorders in the State are awaiting surgery.

But with the treatment cost being extremely high and the number of centres dedicated to children’s cardiac care being small, many of them do not undergo surgery, said P.V.A. Mohandas, managing director of MIOT Hospitals.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the hospital’s new initiative Children’s Heart Internationale MIOT (CHIME) – a trust to fund cardiac surgeries for children – on Sunday.

Appeal

Inaugurating the facility, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin appealed to philanthropists to not only give money to the Trust, but also to bring children with a heart defect to the hospital.

Highlighting the significance of such initiatives, he said the State Government had also initiated several measures to ensure the good health of children.

Detailing the measures, he said the noon meal scheme in government schools ensured that every child received an egg thrice a week.

Mr. Stalin and his wife Durgavathi made a personal contribution of Rs. 1 lakh to CHIME.

“Almost 2.5 lakh children are born in India every year with congenital heart disease.

Require surgery

“Over 50 per cent of them require surgery in their first year of life to survive.

But there is a long waiting list for the surgery,” said Mallika Mohandas, chairperson, MIOT hospitals. CHIME was launched to provide free treatment to children with heart disorders.

The world over

Children from all over the world could avail themselves of this service, she added.

Robert Coelho, Director and Chief Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon, said heart disorders could occur in anybody.

Not identifiable

To date, its causes were mostly not identifiable. Lack of awareness, infrastructure and funds added to the problem, he said.

To mark World Heart Day, the hospital conducted a cardiac screening camp last week for around 120 children and more than half of them have been identified for surgery.

So far, 30 children have been treated under CHIME. The hospital intends to conduct screening camps in every district of the State and offer 200 to 300 surgeries for needy children.