Samia’s outreach program saves children’s hearts in Shinyanga

SHINYANGA: AFTER  a year of hopelessness, among the children who were reached by the Samia Suluhu Mkoba treatment camp, that hope has returned, and the child is expected to undergo surgery in September 2025.

The grandmother of the child with a heart problem, Monica Stephano, a resident of Ushetu in Shinyanga Region, said they discovered the condition when the child was six months old but were unable to continue with the treatment due to the high costs they could not afford.

“We were happy to hear that expert doctors from the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute are coming to Shinyanga, we have gained new hope and we are grateful that now my grandson has the opportunity to undergo surgery with help paying for the treatment”.

She added, “We have arrived here, the child has been tested, but the hole in his heart is still there, and he needs to undergo surgery. I am very happy and may God reward them for all those who donated to heart treatment for children from families with limited financial resources,” said Mrs. Monica.

Economic challenges in society have been an obstacle for some children to continue with heart treatment, which has caused delays in receiving treatment that could have saved their lives, as in the case of Mrs. Monica.

Pediatric cardiologist at the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute (JKCI), Nuru Letara, while speaking to journalists at a special heart treatment camp held at the Shinyanga Regional Referral Hospital (SRRH), said that many parents and guardians are facing various economic challenges that lead to their inability to take their children to the hospital for treatment.

“There are many challenges, but the biggest challenge is the poor economic situation that causes parents and guardians to lack the means to pay for their meals and medical expenses, but when we meet them, we encourage and support them,” said Dr. Nuru.

Dr. Nuru said that among the patients referred to the camp is a child who was diagnosed with a heart problem at a heart treatment camp conducted by JKCI specialists a year ago, but could not go for surgery due to financial challenges.

“In this camp, we have given him initial medications to use and we have also given him a referral letter to come for treatment at JKCI. If everything goes well, he will undergo heart surgery in early September this year at a special camp of doctors from Saudi Arabia”, said Dr. Nuru.

Dr. Nuru also appealed to parents to know the health of their children by knowing the symptoms of heart diseases, so that they can get treatment early.

“Some children experience difficulty breathing, lack the strength to suck, sweat while sucking, and sometimes the skin changes color and looks blue. If these symptoms appear early, they need to be examined in the hospital to save their lives”, said Dr. Nuru.

And a resident of Kishapu, Lucas Marwa, whose child received services at the camp, said the challenges they were experiencing were not getting the right answers every time they went to the hospital, but now they have received good answers and treatment direction from the cardiologists of the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute (JKCI).

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“The doctors of the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute (JKCI) have given us a new light. We ask various stakeholders to continue to support these services as they touch the lives of many families”, said Marwa.