By Thandiwe GarusaAT least 1,300 Zimbabwean children succumb to congenital heart diseases each year, statistics have revealed.Approximately 4,000 children in Zimbabwe are born yearly with congenital heart defects that require open heart surgery.The southern African nation has a waiting list of up to 600 adults suffering from rheumatic heart disease, who also need to undergo the same procedure.This week, Zimbabwean and Egyptian cardiac specialists successfully conducted free open heart surgeries on 10 paediatric patients at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare during a week-long medical camp following a similar camp held last year.Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, specialist cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Simukayi Machawira said around 30% of around 4,500 children born with heart defects in the country succumb within the first year if they do not undergo surgery.“So, if we look at the number of children born in a year, let us say 4,500 with congenital heart disease, 30% of these which is about 1,300, will die within the first year because they have not been attended to. And the number increases as time goes on.“So we are saying 1,300 plus more each year, which means a large number of children are dying,” said Machawira.He also noted that for many children born with heart problems, receiving treatment after the age of two has limited impact, as they would have already been debilitated by the illness.Outside of the two camps with Egyptian specialists, Machawira said Parirenyatwa Hospital has performed around 55 open heart surgeries from June 2023 to date.Zimbabwe has limited capacity to offer open heart surgeries due to a lack of resources and personnel while most patients with heart-related ailments cannot afford treatment abroad, where costs can be as high as US$15,000.
By Thandiwe GarusaAT least 1,300 Zimbabwean children succumb to congenital heart diseases each year, statistics have revealed.Approximately 4,000 children in Zimbabwe are born yearly with congenital heart defects that require open heart surgery.The southern African nation has a waiting list of up to 600 adults suffering from rheumatic heart disease, who also need to undergo the same procedure.This week, Zimbabwean and Egyptian cardiac specialists successfully conducted free open heart surgeries on 10 paediatric patients at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare during a week-long medical camp following a similar camp held last year.Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, specialist cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr.
Simukayi Machawira said around 30% of around 4,500 children born with heart defects in the country succumb within the first year if they do not undergo surgery.“So, if we look at the number of children born in a year, let us say 4,500 with congenital heart disease, 30% of these which is about 1,300, will die within the first year because they have not been attended to. And the number increases as time goes on.“So we are saying 1,300 plus more each year, which means a large number of children are dying,” said Machawira.He also noted that for many children born with heart problems, receiving treatment after the age of two has limited impact, as they would have already been debilitated by the illness.Outside of the two camps with Egyptian specialists, Machawira said Parirenyatwa Hospital has performed around 55 open heart surgeries from June 2023 to date.Zimbabwe has limited capacity to offer open heart surgeries due to a lack of resources and personnel while most patients with heart-related ailments cannot afford treatment abroad, where costs can be as high as US$15,000.
AT least 1,300 Zimbabwean children succumb to congenital heart diseases each year, statistics have revealed.
Approximately 4,000 children in Zimbabwe are born yearly with congenital heart defects that require open heart surgery.
The southern African nation has a waiting list of up to 600 adults suffering from rheumatic heart disease, who also need to undergo the same procedure.
This week, Zimbabwean and Egyptian cardiac specialists successfully conducted free open heart surgeries on 10 paediatric patients at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare during a week-long medical camp following a similar camp held last year.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, specialist cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Simukayi Machawira said around 30% of around 4,500 children born with heart defects in the country succumb within the first year if they do not undergo surgery.
“So, if we look at the number of children born in a year, let us say 4,500 with congenital heart disease, 30% of these which is about 1,300, will die within the first year because they have not been attended to.
And the number increases as time goes on.
“So we are saying 1,300 plus more each year, which means a large number of children are dying,” said Machawira.
He also noted that for many children born with heart problems, receiving treatment after the age of two has limited impact, as they would have already been debilitated by the illness.
Outside of the two camps with Egyptian specialists, Machawira said Parirenyatwa Hospital has performed around 55 open heart surgeries from June 2023 to date.
Zimbabwe has limited capacity to offer open heart surgeries due to a lack of resources and personnel while most patients with heart-related ailments cannot afford treatment abroad, where costs can be as high as US$15,000.
Source: Newzimbabwe
