File photo of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences.
A team of doctors from the United Kingdom will be in Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad between September 22 and 28 to perform free heart surgeries on children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
The team will be led by Ramana Dhannapuneni, consultant paediatric cardiac surgeon and head of cardiac surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, the U.K. Dr. Ramana is also a trustee of the U.K.-based charity Healing Little Hearts (HLH).
CHD is a birth defect that affects the heart’s structure and function. It can be caused by a variety of issues, such as holes in the heart wall, problems with the heart valves or issues with blood vessels. While some defects are mild and may not require treatment, others are severe and necessitate early intervention after birth.
The week-long camp, organised in collaboration with the Telangana government and the cardiothoracic department of NIMS, will also offer free 2D echocardiogram screenings for children. “Each year, Dr. Ramana leads a team of medical professionals to provide free surgical treatments to children with heart conditions,” said N. Bheerappa, director of NIMS.
Parents can contact at 040-23489025 or visit NIMS between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. They should bring previous medical records, and, if no record is available, the hospital will conduct the necessary screening, Dr. Bheerappa added.
Dr. Ramana, originally from Telangana, recognised the need for paediatric heart surgery services in the region. In December 2022, he proposed a partnership between the government-run Niloufer Hospital and NIMS to former Minister for Health T. Harish Rao, which resulted in a series of camps at NIMS. The first camp in March 2023 provided nine free surgeries. During the second camp in September, the team performed 15 surgeries in a week.
Published – September 13, 2024 07:44 pm IST
