BACKGROUND
The incidence of Congenital heart disease (CHD) among Malaysian children is about 8-10 per 1,000 live birth. With an average of 500,000 deliveries a year, the number of children born with CHD is 5,000, of which two-thirds will require surgical intervention. Hence the number of children requiring surgery each year is about 2000-3000.
In Malaysia, complex pediatric cardiothoracic surgeries are done only by the National Heart Institute (IJN) and two other private hospitals. Thus the waiting time for surgeries may be unacceptably long for certain cases. This delay is compounded by the shortage of local pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons. Furthermore, the cost of cardiothoracic surgery at private hospitals is often high, thereby limiting access to such services for ordinary Malaysians. Consequently some children have died while waiting for the surgery.
Since 2006 when MediAssist4U was started, dozens of children had been sent to Narayana Hrudayalaya for Open heart surgery, at a discounted rate that is much lower than those charged locally. Nevertheless, the quality of such surgeries and healthcare had never been compromised.
For more information please go to www.youtube.com search for Mediassist4u-children heart program.
