About the Mater Cardiac Program
Before the 1990s, very little cardiac work was being done in Kenya due to scarcity of trained personnel and the high cost of surgery (Heart surgery costs Kshs 500,000 and is out of reach for many Kenyans). Upon this realization The Mater Hospital- Kenya set up a Cardiac Programme in 1995.
The Programme is positioned to cater for the needs of children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, suffering from both congenital and acquired heart disease. Sadly, 50% of children aged between 4 and 8 years seen at the Cardiology Clinics suffer from rheumatic heart disease, subsequent to rheumatic fever that originated from a simple sore throat.
More than 1,700 children have benefitted from surgery and some of their stories and profiles are in this blog (past beneficiaries).
There are many encouraging outcomes from this program, the highlights being the transformation we see in many past beneficiaries. One beneficiary, Mutwiri Rarama is currently studying Medicine at the University of Nairobi and wishes to specialise in Cardiology. Another beneficiary, Edith Muthoni, is a Nursing Student at the Catherine McAuley School at The Mater Hospital.
How Many Children Need Procedures in Kenya
Globally, 1% of children are born with congenital heart defects. In Kenya, a further 1% develop Rheumatic Heart Disease, mainly in the slums and rural areas where poverty levels are high. This means that every year, more than 10,000 children need heart treatment.
The Mater Hospital corrects an average of 200 paediatric heart defects every year.
The other centre offering this service on a similar scale in Kenya is Kenyatta National Hospital.
Many children therefore succumb before accessing care.
