Around 80 children have been screened with congenital heart disease at the Sanjeevani Medical Centre in recent months.

Around 80 children have been screened with congenital heart disease at the Sanjeevani Medical Centre in recent months.

Director Dr Krupali Tappoo says about 60 of these children will undergo urgent treatment and that will take place once border restrictions are eased.

She adds the border restrictions currently in force has hindered the work of the Centre.

However, operations will be carried out once the green light is given to overseas medical professionals entering our borders.

“And certainly we know with congenital heart diseased, if you operate on these children, you do give them a gift of life, you do make a difference to their lives. Some children will have simple defects while may have more complex defect and the ones that are more complicated are the ones that may need surgery sooner rather than later.”

She also highlighted that most women in developing countries are facing a lot of challenges paying the mammogram fee to detect breast cancer.

Dr Tappoo says this has contributed to the increasing number of breast cancer cases over the years as it demotivates women visiting health care facilities for screenings.