The "Heart for Children" program will be coming to Nghe An next November.
(Baonghean.vn) - The free screening program for congenital heart disease in children under 16 years old, "Hearts for Children," will be held for children in Nghe An province on November 11th and 12th, 2023.
Accordingly, on November 11th, the program will organize free screening for congenital heart disease in children at Do Luong General Hospital, Do Luong district, and on November 12th at Nghe An Provincial Friendship General Hospital.
"Heart for Children" is a program that provides free surgical support for underprivileged children under 16 in Vietnam, supports the improvement of medical capacity, and organizes screening activities for congenital heart disease in children. The program was founded and is managed by the Vietnam Military Telecommunications Group (Viettel) and the Vietnamese Heart Foundation - Vietnam Television from 2008 to the present.
Over the past 15 years, the program has supported surgical costs for 6,500 patients and organized 96 free screening programs to detect congenital heart disease early in more than 158,000 children in disadvantaged areas of the country.
With the average cost of surgery reaching 40 million VND per case, having a child with congenital heart disease is a real burden, and not every family can afford it. Therefore, the program, implemented with funding from Viettel (committed to providing 5 billion VND/year) and social contributions, will cover all surgical costs for underprivileged children with congenital heart disease.
This is the third time the "Heart for Children" program has reached children in Nghe An province. This time, the program is implemented by Viettel Nghe An and the Vietnamese Heart Foundation, with the support of doctors from the Cardiovascular Center - Viet Duc Friendship Hospital.
After screening, cases requiring intervention/surgery and from disadvantaged backgrounds will be guided by the "Heart for Children" program to complete the necessary paperwork for completely free treatment. Previously, in 2023, the program organized examinations for nearly 10,000 children in Binh Thuan, Dak Nong, Tuyen Quang, Son La, Hue, Ben Tre, Thanh Hoa, and Yen Bai.
To receive early diagnosis and treatment for congenital heart disease, cardiovascular specialists recommend that children who have been diagnosed or suspected of having congenital heart disease, or who exhibit symptoms such as: frequent and recurring coughing and wheezing; abnormal breathing (rapid breathing, chest retraction during inhalation); frequent pneumonia and bronchitis; slow feeding (lasting more than 30 minutes) or inability to finish a feeding; rapid breathing, sweating, especially after feedings; slow growth, pale skin, cold extremities, excessive sweating, and easy fatigue; bluish lips, tongue, and fingertips; and shortness of breath during exertion, should participate in screening to determine the condition. If the disease is detected and the family circumstances meet the criteria of the "Heart for Children" program, treatment will be completely free.
With a network of nearly 1,000 Viettel stores nationwide, serving as application centers for the program, Viettel's consultants in the area will guide families through the application process; thereby shortening the time and minimizing travel costs for families.
Program hotline:02462969969.
Fanpage:A Heart for You
How to support the "Heart for Children" program
1. Direct donations: Vietnamese Heart Foundation - Vietnam Television, 43 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
2. Bank Transfer: + Account Name: Vietnamese Heart Foundation + Account Number:1200 0005 8888- At Vietnam Commercial and Industrial Bank – Dong Da Branch.
