In Pakistan, 1 in every 100 children born are diagnosed with congenital heart disease, and 70% need medication or surgery within the first year of life. This was revealed at the Thursday webinar on “Approach to Congenital Heart Diseases in Children” organized by the ChildLife Foundation.
Dr. Abdul Sattar, head of pediatric cardiology at NICVD, was the session’s guest speaker, and Dr. Irfan Habib, Medical Director at the ChildLife Foundation, was the moderator.
The webinar covered a broad spectrum of topics, including an overview of congenital heart diseases in children, identifying key symptoms and early signs, diagnostic approaches and techniques, case studies, and real-life examples.
The session aimed to equip paediatricians with an in-depth understanding of congenital heart diseases in children, their early recognition, and timely intervention.
The 40-minute session was attended by doctors, residents, and physicians working in the public sector, particularly those working at the secondary care hospitals at the district and tehsil levels nationwide.
By addressing these critical areas, the session aimed to enhance the capacity of on-ground government doctors, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills to meet the challenges encountered in the children’s emergency rooms of public sector hospitals where ChildLife operates its telemedicine network.
ChildLife Foundation, a non-profit organization working towards reducing child mortality across Pakistan, hosted this webinar on Pediatric Emergencies for paediatricians, especially those in the public sector.
Improving emergency care reduces child mortality by 50%. Through this webinar, ChildLife aims to foster collaboration with the public sector by contributing to the capacity building of government doctors and ensuring that they are well-versed in the latest practices and evolving needs of pediatric emergency care.
It is pertinent to mention here that ChildLife Foundation provides life-saving treatment to more than 2 million children annually—24/7 and free of cost. It manages Children’s Emergency Rooms and Telemedicine Satellite Centers in more than 300 public-sector hospitals across Pakistan.
