The second mission in Ethiopia for 2025 has just concluded (May 31 – June 7). It was a collaborative experience in pediatric cardiology, successfully conducted at the Children’s Heart Fund of Ethiopia (CHFE) in Addis Ababa.
The mission aimed to carry out a series of life-saving heart procedures for children with congenital heart defects, enhance local medical capabilities, and strengthen partnerships in pediatric cardiac care.
Over the course of five intensive clinical days, 39 children underwent comprehensive cardiac evaluations, 31 received advanced treatments, including nine open-heart surgeries and 22 catheter-based interventions.
On January 30, 2025, our interventional cardiology mission in Ethiopia concluded successfully at the Children’s Heart Fund of Ethiopia (CHFE).
Over the course of 4 days, 35 children were examined and 17 transcatheter procedures were successfully performed. Among these was a life-saving intervention on a 16-day-old infant weighing only 2.7 kg, affected by a severe congenital heart defect (TGA). The child was later referred abroad for surgical treatment. The procedure was definitive, and the baby is now doing very well.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Volunteer Doctors for their dedication, professionalism, and the harmony they fostered with the local staff, involving them in every step of the process. Many families are smiling again.
Our deepest gratitude also goes to the entire CHFE staff for the flawless organization and the warm welcome they gave us.
In October 2024, when the last members of the Padua team returned to Italy, our association successfully completed its 18th mission to the Orotta Hospital in Asmara. In less than seven days, 15 cardiac surgeries were performed without complications, some of which were particularly complex both diagnostically and surgically. A significant achievement was the direct involvement of the two young surgeons who have been training with us for the past two years, Dr Beyene and Dr Michael, who for the first time in Eritrea completed 10 of these operations under our supervision.
We must also highlight the valuable contribution of our two paediatric cardiologists who, thanks to their early arrival in Asmara, carried out cardiological evaluations and echocardiograms on more than 150 children, selecting more than 60 for surgery.
From March 8 to March 20, 2024, one of the most successful missions carried out on Eritrean soil took place at Orotta Hospital in Asmara. Sixteen surgical procedures were successfully performed on children affected by congenital heart diseases. The team, composed of 24 volunteers, worked in close synergy with the local medical staff, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of their professional competencies.
For the first time in Asmara, young Eritrean surgeons in training successfully performed one of the scheduled procedures as primary operators.
As part of our educational program, and in recognition of their daily commitment and diligence (including work on Saturdays and Sundays), Dr. Beyene and Dr. Michael were offered a series of theoretical lectures, followed by an informal final examination, which both passed with distinction. Additionally, they were presented with two textbooks on cardiac surgery to support the continuation of their training.
Needless to say, their enthusiasm and dedication—as well as that of the entire medical and nursing staff—represent a profound source of satisfaction and motivation for us to continue our missions.
Ethiopia, a country already known to our volunteers, is witnessing an improvement in its economic and social conditions. This allows for more and better medical care for the paediatric population. During our recent fact-finding visit to the national referral hospital, we visited the wards and witnessed some operations for non-complex heart diseases. We observed with admiration the work of a competent and well-coordinated team.
The intention to start a collaboration programme was confirmed. The first step will be to join the local medical team with some of our experts for the surgical treatment of heart disease with minimally invasive access.
On 12 June 2023, the 16th Cardiology/Cardiac Surgery mission at the Orotta Hospital in Asmara, (started on 26 May 2023) in which 27 volunteers participated, came to an end. The cardiological screening performed at the beginning of the mission revealed a high number of heart defects that had not received adequate treatment due to the previous pandemic.
The surgical programme started the same day the surgical team arrived and, in just 5 ½ days, in collaboration with the local medical staff, we performed 11 operations.
All the children (some of them very critical, with complex illnesses) successfully passed the surgery, returned home and will be able to lead normal lives.
