A cardiac team from the Dubai Health Authority, DHA, is in the process of performing free heart surgeries in Mumbai on more than 100 Indian children suffering from cardiac congenital abnormalities.
'Nabadat', which means heartbeat in Arabic, is an initiative launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, MBRCHE, in collaboration with the DHA. It provides free medical assistance, surgery and post-surgical care to poor children.
Over 100 children - newborn to 14 years old are receiving free surgery and treatment for congenital heart ailments as part of the 'Nabadat' initiative during the seven-day workshop that began on July 7.
So far, the team has successfully performed 51 procedures (32 open-heart surgeries and 19 catherisations) at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, and SL Raheja, a Fortis Associate Hospital in Mumbai.
The Nabadat team consists of cardiac surgeons, cardiac anaesthetists, intensivists, perfusionists, nurses and technicians.
Besides, they will also conduct free paediatric cardiac check-ups to screen as many children as possible.
According to Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the DHA, "The Nabadat initiative is one of the many humanitarian initiatives undertaken by the UAE globally. It reflects the values of our Founding Father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and those of our wise leadership. Children are the future and this initiative helps provide them with an opportunity to lead a normal healthy life. The success of this initiative reflects the medical capabilities of the Emirate."
Ibrahim Bumelha, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the MBRCHE, highlighted that the leadership of the UAE is keen to provide humanitarian aid and services across the globe. So far, the Nabadat team has visited Sudan thrice and performed heart surgeries on children in Addis Ababa, Mauritania, Egypt and Tajikistan, he said.
Saleh Al Tunaiji, UAE Consul-General in Mumbai, praised the humanitarian initiative and visited the children who underwent surgery and also met the medical team.
Dr Obaid Al Jassim, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Dubai Hospital, said, "The aim of this initiative is to reduce the economic and physiological burden faced by families of children with congenital heart problems and help children live a happy and healthy life.
