Children’s heart care services expand through partnership

ZANZIBAR: THE government has intensified efforts to expand lifesaving heart care services for children through its partnership with Israelbased Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), enabling more patients to receive specialised treatment locally and reducing the need for costly overseas referrals.

Acting Minister for Health, Dr Saada Mkuya Salum, said the collaboration has helped strengthen paediatric cardiac care services, allowing more children with heart conditions to access treatment within the country.

She made the remarks during a visit to a specialised cardiac medical camp organised by SACH at Lumumba Regional Hospital, where dozens of children are undergoing screening and treatment for heart conditions.

Dr Mkuya said the government remains committed to ensuring that children with heart disease receive the care they need despite the high cost of treatment.

“Despite the high cost of treatment, the government will continue to ensure that children with heart conditions receive the care they need,” she said.

Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Msafiri Marijani, said the medical camp has registered new patients while conducting follow-up examinations for more than 400 children who previously underwent heart surgery.

He said SACH continues to support specialised treatment by sponsoring some patients to travel to Israel when advanced care is required.

According to Dr Marijani, more than 75 children were referred abroad for specialised treatment between January 2025 and June 2026.

Dr Mkuya said health authorities have identified an increasing number of children with heart conditions, prompting plans for in-depth research to establish possible causes and develop preventive measures.

She added that efforts are underway to strengthen medical infrastructure and train more local specialists to enable a greater number of cases to be treated within the country.

The government is also exploring the introduction of routine heart screening for newborns following concerns over low awareness among parents about the importance of early diagnosis.

“Early detection is key to improving treatment outcomes and saving lives,” Dr Mkuya said.

She urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinics early and maintain proper nutrition, noting that maternal health plays an important role in ensuring healthy pregnancies.

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The acting minister said the government would continue to strengthen partnerships with organisations such as SACH, expand local expertise and intensify public awareness campaigns to improve paediatric cardiac care services.

Dr Marijani added that some heart conditions affecting children may have hereditary links and called for further research to better understand the causes of the diseases.

Dr Omar Mohamed Suleiman, founder of the Zanzibar Children with Heart Disease Association, said warning signs of heart problems in children include difficulty breastfeeding, bluish discolouration of the lips and palms when crying, poor growth and excessive fatigue.

On behalf of parents, Lela Saidi Hamadi called on families to closely monitor their children’s development and seek medical attention early to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment.