Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) cardiologists are all set to conduct 30 free heart surgeries to treat cardiac congenital abnormalities as part of the Nabadat initiative.
Nabadat, which means heartbeat, is an initiative launched by the DHA and Mohammad Bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, to provide free medical assistance, surgery and post-surgical care to children whose parents cannot afford to pay for treatment of congenital heart diseases. More than 350 children (newborns to 21 year olds) with congenital heart diseases have undergone life-saving procedures since its launch in 2007. The treatment is open to both Emirati and expatriate patients.
The DHA sponsors the treatment for Emiratis and the Mohammad Bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment sponsors treatment for expatriate patients.
Elaborating on the initiative, Dr Obaid Al Jasem, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Dubai Hospital, said: “This time we have cooperated with a team of cardiac experts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we will conduct open heart surgeries and diagnostic and/or interventional cardiac catherisation procedures over the course of one week. The aim of this initiative is to reduce the economic and physiological burden faced by families of children with congenital heart problems, provide a new lease of life to young children as well as help in transfer of knowledge and skills. The initiative also helps reduce the cost of overseas treatment as such surgeries cost Dh300,000 on an average abroad.”
This time, 40 per cent of the patients undergoing surgeries are Emiratis, the rest are expatriates and visitors. The patients are from Oman, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Kenya and Philippines.
The DHA team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons who perform these surgeries include Dr Obaid Al Jasem, Dr Ahmad Al Kamali, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at Dubai Hospital, Dr Shahraban Abdullah Al Shari, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at Latifa Hospital, and Dr Sameer Sajwani, Paediatric Cardiac Specialist at Dubai Hospital. A team of experts from Saudi Arabia also assisted in this mission.
Those interested in enquiring about the next workshop for free heart surgeries may contact Dubai Hospital on 219 5000.
