OVER 510 children with heart diseases are currently on the waiting list for surgery at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), with each to cost between 8m/- and 10m/-, it has been learnt.
The number calls for support from stakeholders to cushion cost burden, according to Prof Mohamed Janabi, Executive Director of the JKCI.
Prof Janabi made statement yesterday in Dar es Salaam, when giving a picture of the magnitude of the problem of children with heart diseases at an event to launch ‘TPDC Marathon’ for raising funds to contribute to the costs of operations for children.
The TPDC Marathon, which would be held annually, is hosted by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.
Prof Janabi noted that the cost for operation is high because the imported devices are also expensive.
Shedding light on the national statistics, he said, out of two million babies born every year, 20,000 have heart diseases, of which, about 5000 need surgery.
He called upon individuals to show up in big numbers during the TPDC Marathon on September 11 to raise funds and donate blood for operations on children at the JKCI.
TPDC Managing Director Dr James Mataragio said the corporation has been stakeholder in many things, including health and education.
“We have been directly participating like building infrastructures such as hospitals and schools. But, this time we say it was not enough, so we have come up with this Marathon at which we expect that former President Jakaya Kikwete would grace the event,” Dr Mataragio said.
“We join hands to save lives of our fellow Tanzanians. We target to help 50 children to start with. Through this Marathon we target to contribute 2m/- for surgery on each of them,” he said.
Dr Mataragio stated that this year’s marathon has been sponsored by ARA Petroleum, he East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), TANOIL Investment ltd, Gasco, Songas, Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), BQ Contractors Ltd and others.
At least 500 people are expected to participate at the Marathon.
