[Photo: Supplied]

A team from Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital Fiji has made a startling discovery of 121 children living with heart disease in the Northern Division.

A team led by visiting cardiologist Dr. Yogesh Sathe, a five-member team from Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital and accompanied by Priya Lata from FENC Fiji, recently visited Vanua Levu and Taveuni for screening outreach where the discovery was made.

Dr. Sathe says a total of 368 children had their hearts screened. Of these children, 42 were diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease and 79 with Rheumatic Heart Disease.

He says all heart screenings were done completely free of charge.

He adds that children with CHD are the ones who most likely need surgical intervention.

CHD is a heart abnormality present at birth. The problem can affect the heart walls, the heart valves, and the blood vessels.

Dr. Sathe says early detection of CHDs will enable favourable chances of survival and successful CHD treatment.

All the children diagnosed with CHD during these screening clinics have been referred for further ECHO screening, and if surgeries are required, they will have them done at the Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Suva free of cost.

Since opening in April this year, the hospital has already given a new gift of life to 81 children from Fiji. All surgeries were done totally free of charge.