Tien Trinh Ngoc Vy, born in 2018, diagnosed with congenital Tetralogy of Fallot, is now in good condition after heart surgery.(Photo: courtesy of VinaCapital Foundation)
HCM City (VNA) - Heartbeat Vietnam,VinaCapital Foundation’s health care programme, has funded 7,000 life-savingheart operations for disadvantaged children with congenital heart defects inVietnam after 12 years of operation.
The 7,000th patient, Tien Trinh NgocVy, born in 2018, was diagnosed with congenital Tetralogy of Fallot. Vy has atwin sister and a seven-year-old brother.
Her parents, who live in Ho Chi Minh City’sDistrict 5, could not afford the surgery costs of 80 million VND (3,400 USD) asher family lives on the father’s income as a driver.
After undergoing successful surgery in the HeartInstitute in HCM City in March, Vy is now in good health.
The charity programme funded heart operationsfor 733 children in 2018 and 250 others since the beginning of 2019.
It will continue to travel to remote areas todeliver free heart screenings and fund operations for nearly 1,000 childrendiagnosed with congenital heart defects per year.
Some initiatives of Heartbeat Vietnam to promotefundraising and awareness include Vet Seo Cuoc Doi (Scar of Life) and Chay Vi Trai Tim (Run for the Heart), anddocumentaries Noi Ket Yeu Thuong (Connecting Love) on HCM City Television (HTV).
In Vietnam, about 16,000 babies are born everyyear with congenital heart defects, of which 7,500 cases need medicalintervention, according to research conducted by VinaCapital Foundation.
Defects such as atrial septal defect,ventricular septal defect, and Tetralogy of Fallot had high risks a decade agobut can now be cured.
Many children in rural areas have few chancesfor cardiac diagnosis and consultancy, which results in life-threateningcomplications.-VNA
VNA
