Children's Heart- LIFE-SAVING CARDIAC SURGERY

Cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of morbidity among children living in rural areas of Nepal, where access to specialized healthcare services is extremely limited. Geographic isolation, scarcity of trained personnel, and inadequate diagnostic infrastructure often prevent early identification of congenital and acquired heart diseases, exposing children to serious and potentially life-threatening complications.

Within this context, Mission Bambini continues its long-term commitment in Nepal through the Children's Heart Program. From November 24 to 30, 2025, Mission Bambini organized a cardiological screening mission in Bhanu Municipality, Tanahu District, in partnership with Save the Heart Nepal. The initiative aimed to improve early diagnosis of pediatric heart diseases and strengthen local referral pathways in rural and underserved communities.

The mission was carried out by an international medical team of three Italian volunteer doctors, supported by Mission Bambini staff, and working closely with a local healthcare team of 24 Nepalese professionals. This close collaboration ensured an efficient organization of activities and a high standard of clinical care, enabling the team to respond to a very high demand for cardiological evaluations in a limited timeframe.

Thanks to a structured screening approach and the availability of three echocardiography machines—including equipment provided and previously donated by Mission Bambini—thousands of children were evaluated. Overall, 3,247 patients received clinical examinations and cardiac auscultation, while 845 underwent echocardiographic assessments and 405 received an electrocardiogram. As a direct result of the mission, four children were identified as candidates for cardiac surgery and were taken into care by Save the Heart Nepal, with surgical interventions scheduled at the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center in Kathmandu.

Beyond its immediate clinical impact, the mission contributed to strengthening local capacities. Three local healthcare professionals were directly involved in the screening activities and benefited from on-the-job training alongside the international team, reinforcing diagnostic skills and promoting sustainable knowledge transfer.

During the mission, Mission Bambini also engaged in discussions with local partners to explore future collaboration opportunities, including the potential expansion of screening activities to other remote areas characterized by a high prevalence of undiagnosed cardiac conditions.

Despite some challenges related to outdated diagnostic equipment and the limitations of auscultation-based pre-screening, the mission highlighted several strengths, including the strong organizational capacity of Save the Heart Nepal, effective logistics in a complex rural setting, and rapid clinical pathways with immediate feedback to patients and families.

The Tanahu screening mission confirmed the strategic importance of early diagnosis in reducing pediatric cardiovascular morbidity in rural Nepal. By combining direct healthcare delivery, capacity building, and strong partnerships, Mission Bambini continues to work toward a healthcare system where children’s access to life-saving care does not depend on where they are born.