Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda – [email protected]
WHEN a child is born, they carry the hopes and aspirations of a family.
They bring insurmountable joy that permeates all around.
But this joy can easily fizzle out with news that the newborn, which the family prayed would be in perfect health, would need to go under the knife.
Of course it is devastating, just as noone buys a brand new car and expects it to be parked at the mechanic’s soon after purchase.
Having a sick child can be overwhelming for parents without the adequate psychosocial support and resources to care for their child in the best way possible.
This is especially true for parents whose children suffer from various heart conditions.
In light of their plight, parents of children with heart conditions have called on the Government to step in and help them source funds to get their children the life-saving treatment they need.
Parents who spoke to Chronicle said although the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is trying to ensure that children with heart conditions get free medication, more needs to be done to ensure that more children have access to the life-saving medication which is expensive.
They said apart from the expensive medication, the waiting lists at Government hospitals for those awaiting to get treatment out of the country is very long and waiting long puts the lives of their children in danger.
Mrs Ruth Charewa said her daughter (4) who was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect (VSD) four years ago has since developed asthma and hypertension.
“It’s difficult to see my daughter suffering every day and taking multiple tablets because that is the only way she can stay alive. Right now, we are on the waiting list to go to India and we have approached the Ministry of Public Service but to no avail and it breaks my heart knowing that they might not be able to help us raise funds so that my little girl can get help and have her surgery,” said Mrs Charewa.
She said she has heard about the Ministry of Public Service assisting some children to get help but she has not been as lucky thus far.
A VSD is a defect in the ventricular septum, the wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart.
The extent of the opening may vary from pin size to the complete absence of the ventricular septum, creating one common ventricle. The ventricular septum consists of an inferior muscular and superior membranous portion and is extensively innervated with conducting cardiac myocytes.
Another parent, Ms Malisa Sicelo said she applied for funds from the Ministry last year as she cannot afford to take her daughter to India for treatment but she is yet to get joy from the ministry.
She said her daughter (9) was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and atrial septal defect (ASD) which is a hole in the heart between the upper chambers (atria). The hole increases the amount of blood that flows through the lungs. The condition is present at birth (congenital heart defect) and was diagnosed while her baby was nine months old.
PDA is a medical condition in which the ductus arteriosus fails to close after birth which allows a portion of oxygenated blood from the left heart to flow back to the lungs through the aorta, which has a higher blood pressure, to the pulmonary artery, which has a lower blood pressure.
Ms Sicelo said with growing inflation and a high cost of living, it has become a struggle for her to raise money for her child’s medication.
She said her daughter takes medication everyday and one of the drugs costs about US$50 per month.
Her child is also on a special diet to boost her immune system.
“Living with a child who has a heart problem is really difficult, especially because getting money for a basic thing like fruits is sometimes hard and they are always sick. The Government should really step in to help us take care of these children, especially in raising funds that can help to send the children overseas for surgeries. We understand the ministry is funding children right now but it’s just a few children who are benefitting and such a big number is still without help,” she said.
Miss Tendai Moyo who runs a support group for mothers with children who have cardiac problems, Brave Little Hearts, said there was a need to come up with friendly policies that will minimise the paperwork needed for a child to get funding in order to access treatment overseas.
She said a lot of children die while waiting to be given the greenlight by the ministry to go beyond the borders for treatment.
“We appreciate the work the Government is doing but a lot still needs to be done in making sure that children with cardiac problems are prioritised. It breaks my heart everytime a child dies because they are still waiting for funds and because the mother did not have enough money to buy medication for her child. I pray soon these things are going to be corrected,” said Miss Moyo.
Online Reporter