Poor children to benefit from free surgery
Eleven children with congenital heart disease from poor families in Guizhou Province arrived in the city on Tuesday, World Heart Day, for treatment at Shanghai Yodak Cardio-Thoracic Hospital.
Congenital heart disease affects 6 to 9 babies among every 1,000 in China. There are about 2 million children in China waiting for surgery with 120,000 new patients annually.
The children from Liupanshui are the first beneficiaries of a charity program launched by local health authorities and Shanghai Yodak, which conducts screening and surgery free.
The children are aged between 13 months and 14, with 80 percent below 3 years old. Early intervention is extremely important for their growth and recovery, said Dr Xiao Mingdi, the hospital’s president.
A child with congenital heart disease is checked before surgery.
