Dubai-The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) collaborated with Kafrelsheikh University Hospital in Egypt to provide free surgeries to a total of 100 children with congenital heart abnormalities.
The initiative was organised through the Nabadat programme, where the team selected the 100 patients after studying all cases and prioritising those in urgent need of life-saving surgery.
Nabadat, which means heartbeat in Arabic, is a programme launched by the Mohammad Bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment (MBRCHE) in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to alleviate the suffering of impoverished children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
The initiative is taking place under the patronage of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative.
It provides free medical assistance, life-saving surgery and post-surgical care to children whose parents cannot afford to pay for treatment of congenital heart diseases (CHDs).
Types of congenital heart diseases
CHD is a common type of birth defect where malformations occur to the structure of the heart. Each year, more than a million babies worldwide are born with one of 30 types of CHD. Statistics show that more than 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more will die before they reach adulthood.
“Congenital heart disease is the most common congenital disorder in newborns. It requires surgery or catheter-based intervention and in most cases, children live a normal life post-treatment,” said Dr Obaid Al Jassim, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Dubai Hospital.
He pointed out that children being treated with long-standing congenital disease, suffer from rapid breathing, bluish skin, poor weight gain and constant feelings of tiredness.
“They cannot enjoy a childhood where they can run and play. The surgery is not only life-saving but also allows them to enjoy a good quality of life,” said Dr Al Jassim.
The three most common are septal defects (hole in the heart), obstruction defects (partial or total blockage of the flow of blood) and cyanotic defects, which leads to a lack of oxygen being pumped through the body.
“Nabadat is one of the most important humanitarian initiatives; it treats the youngest members of our society and provides them with an opportunity to lead a healthy and active life,” said Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the DHA.
Meanwhile, Ebrahim Bu Melha, Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs Advisor of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Deputy Chairman of MBRCHE, said the foundation’s efforts to treat those in need is in line with the directives of Shaikh Mohammed who is known for his humanitarian efforts that extends to many countries around the world.
“Nabadat concluded its visit to Egypt in collaboration with the DHA’s medical team who conducted open-heart surgery and catheterisation for children aged 3 to 14 years to treat their congenital heart diseases,” he said.
He stressed the importance of the initiative and its positive impact on children suffering from congenital heart diseases, as it reduces their family’s financial burden and gives them new hope for recovery, which is the main objective of Nabadat.
The Nabadat team included medical staff specialising in paediatric cardiothoracic surgery, intensive care, technicians and nurses. They performed a number of complex surgical operations in the field of open-heart surgery and catheterisation for the treatment of congenital malformations in children and diseases of valves and heart arteries.
To date, the Nabadat team has visited Sudan three times. The team has also provided free heart surgeries to children in India, Addis Ababa, Mauritania, Egypt and Tajikistan.
Nabadat covers the complete cost of care and provides logistical support to the medical team.
Anyone wishing to make enquiries can contact Dubai Hospital on 04 219 5000.
