530 kids receive heart surgery treatment

A programme launched by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has resulted in a marked reduction in paediatric heart surgery waiting list with 530 patients being treated in six government and eight private hospitals on the panel.

The implementation of the is being monitored through a dashboard.

According to officials, the registration and entry of details in a central database is ensured for timely surgery of patients.

About 4,500 children have been referred for treatment across the province under the programme.

Cardiac surgery is being done in the Children's Hospital and Cardiology Institutes of Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpind besides four private hospitals in Lahore, three in Multan and one in Islamabad.

The chief minister said, "The health of every child is important and we will try hard to save their lives. In the Children's Heart Surgery Programme, children from other provinces, including K-P, will also be treated."

She said, "It was extremely painful for young children suffering from heart diseases to go through the agony of waiting for a year for surgery."

The chief minister added, "The lack of special heart surgeons and trained allied staff will be addressed to increase the capacity of children's hospitals. We are trying to ensure the treatment of every child suffering from cardiovascular diseases."