Colombo, Oct. 22 (Daily Mirror) - Foreign specialist doctors are performing free, complex heart surgeries on 15 Sri Lankan children at the National Hospital in Karapitiya, Galle, under a programme organised by the ‘Take Heart Mercy Mission’.
The surgeries, which are difficult to perform in Sri Lanka due to their complexity, are being carried out at the hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit in collaboration with local medical professionals.
Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni visited the hospital today (22) to observe the surgical procedures and review the progress of the programme.
During the visit, he observed a heart surgery in progress and inspected the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, where the foreign medical team briefed him on the recovery of children who had undergone complex procedures.
Wijemuni said Sri Lankan medical professionals had previously been able to diagnose certain highly complex heart conditions but had faced difficulties providing the necessary surgical treatment locally.
He stressed that timely surgical intervention could significantly improve the lives of affected children and the future prospects of their families.
The Deputy Minister said the programme was being conducted with the necessary approvals and in accordance with Sri Lankan regulations, without imposing any financial burden on the Government.
The charitable organisation is covering all expenses and providing the medical equipment required for the surgeries.