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DHA launches global drive
to save children’s hearts

To provide life-saving operations for children with congenital heart problems, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched an international initiative called Nabadat on Wednesday.

Nabadat’s (or pulse) mission is to save children’s lives, help families, and facilitate knowledge transfer. “This will subsequently make the emirate a centre for medical excellence and a springboard for expanding the initiative abroad,” said officials at the launch.

Dr Obaid Al Jasem, Ibrahim Bu Melha, Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid and Dr Shahrban Abdulla, cardiac paediatrician at Latifa Hospital, at the Press conference held to announce the launch of the ‘Nabadat’ initiative in Dubai on Wednesday. — KT photo by Shihab

Dr Obaid Al-Jasem, head of the Cardiology Department at the DHA said: “We hope to travel to developing countries and perform operations in under-serviced areas.” Countries such as Yemen, Egypt and Sudan will be top priority.

Up to 100 children in Dubai alone have congenital heart diseases that need surgical interventions each year. Since 2007, the DHA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment have collaborated to save lives, especially for those with financial issues. All costs for the procedure are borne by the health authority and the charity establishment.

So far, more than 250 children (predominantly under six months) have undergone life-saving operations. Over 250 operations have already been performed ranging from open-heart surgeries, correction of fetal malformations, separation of the arteries and catheter interventions. Of those treated in 2012, 55 per cent were Emirati patients while 45 per cent were expatriates.

The DHA will facilitate regional visits by renowned international heart experts, jointly handling the costs and logistics with the establishment. The next visit is scheduled for October 5-14.

Ibrahim Mohammed Bu Melha, Health, Education and Cultural Advisor to His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, commented in his capacity as Deputy Secretary-General of the establishment, “Nabadat is an inspiring example which proves that when the government and humanitarians work together, we can uplift the less privileged members of the society.”

Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director-General of the DHA said: “When it comes to performing such complex operations on children’s delicate hearts, the demand for specialists outweighs the supply. Furthermore, the operations are prohibitively expensive. Therefore, Nabadat is our way of bridging that gap by bringing in supremely skilled international surgeons.”

Three necessary sophisticated machines — a cardiac imaging ultrasound machine, a cardiopulmonary bypass machine and a ventilator — were purchased for a collective cost of Dh2.3 million.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com