As a baby, Nzali experienced symptoms including clubbed fingers and heavy breathing. She was diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot (TOF), a combination of fourcritical heart defects. She would need surgery.
Born in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Elhme was diagnosed with a life-threatening congenital heart defect at only a few months old.
Nzali and seven other children were scheduled to fly to Israel for lifesaving procedures with Save a Child’s Heart, but COVID-19 broke out. Nzali's flight was cancelled. Unable to fly abroad for care, Nzali and the other children waited month after month. Tragically, one of the children passed away.
Most of the heart care equipment at health care facilities throughout Zambia is in short supply, faulty or obsolete. Zambia currently has approximately five pediatric cardiologists, three of whom are located in the capital's University Teaching Hospital.
When a child needs surgery, most families have just two options: fly abroad and cover the costs of surgery independently or wait for a visiting team to treat their child locally. Save a Child’s Heart offers a third option – flying children abroad for care.
"My hope is that we can establish pediatric cardiac services and we should no longer have a waiting list for Zambian children."
- Dr. Ziwa
Dr. Ziwa, who is training as a pediatric cardiac surgeon at the Wolfson Medical Center in Israel, hopes to change that. Once he completes his five-year training period, Dr. Ziwa will return to Zambia to help establish a local center of excellence there.
Finally, after four months, the Zambian children were allowed to fly to Israel. They were required to quarantine for two weeks in the Save a Child’s Heart Children’s Home before admission to the Wolfson Medical Center.
As a baby, Nzali experienced symptoms including clubbed fingers and heavy breathing. She was diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot (TOF), a combination of four critical heart defects. She was in desperate need of life-saving heart surgery.
Nzali and seven other children were scheduled to fly to Israel for lifesaving procedures with Save a Child’s Heart, but COVID-19 broke out. NZali's flight was cancelled. Unable to fly abroad for care, Nzali and the other children waited month after month. Tragically, one of the children passed away.
Most of the heart care equipment at health care facilities throughout Zambia is in short supply, faulty or obsolete. Zambia currently has approximately five pediatric cardiologists, three of whom are located in the capital's University Teaching Hospital.
When a child needs surgery, most families have just two options: fly abroad and cover the costs of surgery independently or wait for a visiting team to treat their child locally. Save a Child’s Heart offers a third option – flying children abroad for care – for those we are able to help through a partnership with XYZ.
My hope is that we can establish pediatric cardiac services and we should no longer have a waiting list for Zambian children.
- Dr. Ziwa
Dr. Ziwa, who is training as a pediatric cardiac surgeon at the Wolfson Medical Center in Israel, hopes to change that. Once he completes his five-year training period, Dr. Ziwa will return to Zambia to help establish a local center of excellence there.
Finally, after four months, the Zambian children were allowed to fly to Israel. They were required to quarantine for two weeks in the Save a Child’s Heart Children’s Home before admission to the Wolfson Medical Center.
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