This year, a group of doctors from China performed free surgeries for children with heart defects in Kyrgyzstan. The director of the charity fund "Heart Protection," Aibulak Jumak, spoke about this at a press conference at the "Kabar" agency.
According to her, this is already the third consecutive year that Chinese medics have provided their assistance for free. The "Heart Protection" fund began its activities in 2023.
“In 2023, due to the lack of necessary conditions in Kyrgyzstan, we sent eight children to China, where they underwent surgeries for free. Later, we decided that it would be better to invite Chinese doctors to Kyrgyzstan to perform surgeries here, together with Kyrgyz specialists. This will not only allow us to treat children on-site but will also facilitate the exchange of experience between our countries. In 2024, we started this process. Last year, we successfully operated on five children. And on November 19 of this year, we performed surgeries on six children and one 20-year-old girl,” she noted.
Cardiologist Liu Wei from China reported that it was his first time in Kyrgyzstan, where he is responsible for open surgeries. “We examined 20 children and determined diagnoses. Out of them, seven were selected for surgery, and the results were positive. Additionally, there are three more children who need open surgeries. These are children from disadvantaged families, one of whom is an orphan, and two have comorbidities. We plan to send them to China for the necessary surgeries,” Liu Wei added.
He also noted that there are diagnoses in Kyrgyzstan that are difficult to identify in China. “These are not just ordinary heart defects, and the equipment here is different. We faced some difficulties with the lack of tools, but by working with our Kyrgyz colleagues, we found solutions and achieved good results,” the doctor said.
The first case was a two-year-old girl weighing 10 kg with a rare defect: there was a hole between the pulmonary artery and the heart vessel. We discussed for a long time how to safely perform the surgery considering her weight and the condition of her vessels. Initially, we tried to install a 10-sized occluder, but it did not fit. Then we used a 12-sized occluder, which worked, and the surgery was successful; the heart parameters were stable.
According to the doctor, the condition of all the children after the surgeries is stable. “Thanks to the joint efforts of doctors from both countries, the children have been given a chance for a full life. We are glad that we can trust each other and carry out such important work together,” he concluded.
