In a society, where commercial interest scores over societal interest, one NGO has been making a difference. Setup in 2005 by corporate leaders, medical professionals, businessmen, donors and other professionals in India and USA, 'Hrudaya Cure A Little Heart Foundation', a Hyderabad based NGO committed for the cause of children with congenital heart problems as well as acquired heart problems has been doing a yeoman job. The tragedy of children dying of birth defects of heart, while running from pillar to post for treatment hardened the resolve of a group of these like minded individuals.
Hrudaya means heart. It hopes to light a little flame in your heart. Just in a span of six years, it has successfully facilitated the treatment of 1240 Free Heart Surgeries in various hospitals for CHD affected poor children, which not many NGOs can boast of. The managing trustees of the Foundation are comprised of Mr. M. Yugandhar, Managing Director, Karvy Group; Dr. Gopichand, Managing Director of Star Hospitals; Dr. Rajagopal Raju Alluri, Director, Care Hospitals and Mr. P. Jairaj Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Ocean Sparkle Ltd.
The mission of the Foundation is to treat poor children with heart diseases and give them a fighting chance to live normal and healthy lives. To educate masses, to bring together healthcare professionals to deal with the problem and to build necessary infrastructure to sustain these efforts on a long term basis.
In the year 2010-2011, a total of 422 cases were treated wherein Hrudaya Foundation contributed Rs.1,46,56,462/-, Star Hospitals contributed Rs.1,43,72,397/- towards the surgery expenses of children. In previous year between April' 2009 to March 2010 - 237 cases were supported in which Hrudaya Foundation's contribution was Rs.84,75,344/- and STAR Hospital's Rs.50,53,891/-
A lot of patients are suffering, says Dr. Gopichand Mannam, Chief Cardio Thoracic Surgeon, crusader of the cause, the founder and Trustee of the Hrudaya Foundation. We are ready to provide our service but we need more money to take it forward. The cause is closest to my heart. I can't imagine children dying just because their parents cannot afford to give them the treatment they require, he laments.
There is a lot of scope to raise funds. There are many philanthropic individuals amongst us. We haven't yet tapped corporates. We would like to go little aggressive henceforth and would like to perform up to 700 more surgeries free of cost in next 12 months, declared Dr. Gopichand.
What started as a small idea inconsequence to an event in the year 2005 where about 1000 desperately poor children with heart diseases were paraded in Hyderabad seeking help triggered into what it is today. To mark the momentous occasion of performing 1240 free heart surgeries, celebrate its achievement, a function is being organised at Star Hospital premises on 9th September. His Excellency Governor of Andhra Pradesh Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan consented to grace the function. He will interact with about 50 children, trustees of the foundation and specialist team of International Children's Heart Foundation (ICHF).
A team of specialists of International Children's Heart Foundation (ICHF) headed by Dr. William Novick, M.D, its Founder and Medical Director will be in Hyderabad on the occasion. ICHF has performed heart surgeries on children all over the world over the past 15 years. They visited six times to the Star Hospitals since 2009 and along with Star team conducted complicated surgeries in association with Hrudaya Foundation on children with Cardiac defects.
On 9th September, ICHF will present an interactive session on how it has helped in innovative cost effective techniques in Pediatric Cardiac surgery with technology transfer to the medical professionals at Star Hospitals, stated Dr. Gopichand.
A Fund Raising Dinner is also scheduled at Hotel Daspalla on 9th September evening. The dinner is organised with a theme "Children are our Future. Let us try and give them a life. Give them a future". Where Hrudaya Foundation will provide an opportunity for its guests to know of its past, present and future plans, how they can get associated with it and will also provide a glimpse of how their contributions have and will help in furthering the cause of the foundation informed Mr. Yungandhar, Managing Trustee of Hrudaya Foundation and Managing Director of Karvy Group.
India has a large population. With a incidence of congenital heart disease in 8 per 1000 live births in children, nearly two lakh kids are born yearly with this problem adding to the existing millions suffering from the disease. Of these 60,000 to 90,000 are critical and need early treatment. Nearly 10% of the infant mortality seen is due to congenital heart defects. Sadly, on an average only 6000 to 8000 of the two lakh affected children receive treatment. Nearly 80 percent of the infants die due to their parent's inability to afford treatment. Each year about 1,21,000 cases of CHD do not even reach the age of 15 years due to lack of health awareness, poverty and inadequate healthcare facilities in India. An estimated 7,000 children with complex heart problems are waiting for surgery in Andhra Pradesh alone, added Dr. Rajagopal Raju Alluri, another trustee of the Foundation and Director of Care Hospitals.
Globally nearly 2500 children die of CHD problems, 500 die in India each day - web source
The number of centers capable of handling this is very few. At present there are just 14 institutions supporting a comprehensive infrastructure for newborn and infant heart surgery in India. All of these institutions have a busy adult cardiac surgery programs and much of the infrastructure is shared by both the adult and paediatric cardiac services. The total number of cardiac surgeries for CHD at all age groups in all centres combined in India approximates 6500 per year, of these only about one-fourth are in neonates and infants. This would account for less than 2% of the affected population of newborns and infants in India.
A huge number of children are added to this pool each year with many of them, who might have lived a near normal life, dying, due to unavailability of treatment to them. This, coupled with economic constraints, leaves only a small fraction that has access for appropriate treatment.
How congenital heart diseases develop? In most cases it is not known. Rarely, a viral infection in the mother during first few months of pregnancy may develop a serious heart problem. Heredity factors could be a problem some times. More than one child in the family may have congenital heart defect, but, it is very rare. Down's syndrome, drugs consumed during early pregnancy, alcohol consumption can also affect the heart.
The possible pointers to heart disease in infants (less than one year age) include Difficulty in feeding, unusual sweating, difficulty in breathing, Blueness of lips, fingers and toes, Poor growth and frequent episodes of chest infection. It can also be identified during a routine check-up by your paediatrician without any prior symptoms.
The Hrudaya Foundation's mission is to help poor children with congenital and acquired heart diseases, access modern medical care. Since its inception, the foundation has been doing noble service of helping poor children lead a healthy life free of any heart problems, commented Mr. P. Jairaj Kumar, another trustee and Chairman and Managing Director of Ocean Sparkle Ltd.
"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future". They sweeten our labour. But they are also the most neglected lot due to poverty and many other reasons. The country which boast of over 1.5 lakh Millionaires also has dubious distinction of millions of children suffering with congenital and many other ailments. Together we can make a difference. If each of these millionaires come forward along with many philanthropic individuals we will help prevent and eradicate heart diseases in children.
Even many voluntary organisations with global reach like Lions, Rotary, Jaycees, Freemasons, Round Tablers should come forward to help. Rotary India Humanity Foundation of Rotary International, for instance recently launched a program titled 'Saving Little Hearts' under its health vertical. It has formulated the program to ease the suffering and give the 'Gift of Life' to children suffering from congenital heart diseases. It has allocated Rs 75 crores for the program and committed to do at least 5000 heart surgeries over the next three years.
Dr. Gopichand reiterated the need for greater focus on this ever increasing and enormous disease burden and said, "Congenital heart disease is a growing and a neglected problem in India. Due to lack of facilities, money or awareness, CHD patients in India often live and die untreated. This is extremely ironical considering that all forms of CHD are completely treatable by surgery and medication, after which a child can look forward to a normal life. We need the community action to rid our country of the curse of Congenital Heart Disease."
It is a necessity. If we don't protect the children today, mankind will suffer tomorrow. The important thing is to act - and act now! A real community participation is required. Only then we can get rid of the disease. Socially conscious individuals and communities should come together in this endeavour. Support to the cause can come in various ways, and a case to point is the contribution of Pragati Printers, the leading printing house in the country, which designed & printed the brochures for the Hrudaya's recent fund mobilization drive.
Likewise groups, individuals, corporates can come forward to donate liberally in cash, kind and services. The charities can be sent to Hrudaya Cure A Little Heart Foundation.
TO CONTRIBUTE:
Online payment/Cash/Cheque / Money Order to be drawn in favour of "Hrudaya Cure A Little Heart Foundation".
You can pay cash at Hrudaya Cure A Little Heart Foundation office and collect receipt of payment.
Tax Exempted-F.No.DIT(E)/Hyd/80G Ren./06(05)/09-10
Source: http://www.indiahealthandwellness.com/2011/09/agewell-healthcare-project-for-slum.html
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