Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) here has successfully operated on a four-year-old boy who had a hole in his heart. This is for the first time that a government hospital in the city has successfully conducted surgery for congenital heart disease in children, a procedure earlier available only in private hospitals.
Meanwhile, the hospital has submitted a proposal to the government for equipment and staff to enable regular paediatric heart surgeries. Once approved, children from Indore and nearby districts will have access to these services under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram and Mukhyamantri Bal Hriday Yojana.
These schemes provide free heart surgeries for children, with around 200 procedures performed annually in the district, mostly in private hospitals.
According to experts, congenital heart disease affects 8–12 out of every 1,000 newborns and accounts for 10 percent of infant deaths. Symptoms like slow weight gain, fatigue during breastfeeding, blue lips or nails and dizziness should alert parents to seek expert advice,
“This was our first surgery for congenital heart disease and we’re optimistic about starting regular surgeries soon after government approval.”
-Dr Sumit Singh, in-charge, cardiac surgery department (SSH)
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