Seven years after the implementation of the program “Operation Healthy Heartn” organised by the Vietnam Military Telecommunications Group (Viettel) and Vietnam Television (VTV), VND90 billion has been mobilised from 8,000 domestic and foreign inpiduals, organizations and enterprises, helping to give free heart surgeries to 2,700 disadvantaged children under 16 years old.

The information was made public during a meeting to review the first phase of the program and announce the target for the second phase, held in Hanoi on June 30^th.

According to the organizers, apart from free heart surgery, the program has provided heart disease check-ups for 16,000 poor children across the country; and provided new equipment for 7 hospitals to carry out quicker heart surgery for children.

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that in Vietnam, there are currently 44,600 children under 6 years old who are vulnerable to inborn heart diseases, 60% of whom belonging to poor and nearly-poor families.

Each year, Vietnam reports 8,000-10,000 newly born children who contract heart diseases, and 50% of whom suffer from serious heart diseases and in need of urgent surgeries.

Therefore, the program “Healthy hearts for children” targets to give free heart surgeries to additional 3,000 disadvantaged children with inborn heart diseases, and provide check-ups for 30,000 poor children.

In addition, the program will work with the Ministry of Health to expand the list of heart diseases under the support of the program so that more children can access the surgeries; and cooperate with 20 hospitals to assist the program in operating children./.

( Compiled by VNF )