Children's Heart- LIFE-SAVING CARDIAC SURGERY

To cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, Mission Bambini has implemented strategic changes to what was planned for 2020. Initially, all the partners on site have been contacted in order to assess any emergency needs. In Italy, Mission Bambini supported the Niguarda Hospital in Milan by providing: 16,000 FFP2 filter masks for doctors and nursing health personnel working in Covid19 wards; - 200 protective face shields for pediatric healthcare professionals.

Due to the pandemic situation caused by the Sars-Cov-2 outbreak, a reallocation and rationalization of the resources initially planned for the Children’s Health projects was realized, following the following ratio:

-pursue the expected results as much as possible, especially in terms of operated children;

-reallocate the resources foreseen for the medical missions scheduled in April, May and June;

-Enhance the support for the local partners, on site.

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From March to June/July, local hospitals were authorized to operate only in urgent cases; Follow-up cardiac examinations were carried out regularly;

Partners have partially restructured their activities to meet the new contagion containment needs.

-in Myanmar, pediatric cardiac surgeries were financed at the Yankin Children Hospital for 20 children with congenital heart disease;

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-in Nepal, in collaboration with the local NGO "Save the Heart - Nepal“, transport to Kathmandu of 7 cardiopathic children awaiting surgery was supported and arranged, as well as food and accommodation for children carers for the whole length of hospitalization.

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-in Zimbabwe, the Luisa Guidotti Hospital was supported to carry out the follow-up for about 70 children operated on in recent years, to constantly monitor drug therapy.

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-in Uganda, Mission Bambini supported the Uganda Heart Institute by providing surgery consumables in order to operate 10 young patients with congenital heart disease.