Found with major heart problems during health screening, they are now getting free medical care.
Running or jumping for even a minute would leave Kirti Mankar, 9, breathless. Her parents brushed it aside thinking she was undernourished till a health check-up in her school revealed that she was suffering from a major heart disease that could have led to a heart failure anytime.
Mankar, a resident of Wada in Thane district, was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a condition resulting in abnormal circulation and mixture of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood between two major arteries. The excess circulation of blood in her heart could have caused a failure. But after a surgery at the state-run JJ Hospital on Tuesday under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), she can lead a near normal life.
Mankar’s father who earns a meagre sum by doing odd-jobs said that even if he was informed about her health condition, there was little he could have done.
Mankar was one of the 20 children to be operated for fatal heart conditions at the JJ Hospital. Under the school health programme of NRHM, 97 lakh school children from across Maharashtra have been screened from last August to March this year for various health problems. Of these, 2,866 children had major heart problems. However, about 1,052 children from Std I to X have already undergone surgery.
Head of cardiology at the JJ Hospital Dr NO Bansal said that most of the children admitted at the hospital suffered from congenital heart problems like holes in the heart, narrowing of valve, structural abnormality, etc. “We have seen a significant number of cases with holes in their heart. We are using an umbrella-like device to close the hole and stop mixing of pure and impure blood,” said Bansal, adding that doctors were trying to do more of non-invasive procedures.
“This was the first time that many children had undergone a thorough health check-up. This early detection has saved many lives,” said Bansal.
Relatives of Jyotsna Patil, 14, whose narrowing of valve was treated, said that the lack of health care in rural areas forced her to live with the ailment. “Now, we can get her married without paying a huge dowry to compensate for her defective heart,” said her sister Reshma.
An official from the Maharashtra Rural Health Mission said that about 82% children from the rural areas have been screened. “Vehicles are also been provided to transport these operated children back to their homes,” he said.
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