JAKARTA: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has launched a pediatric cardiac surgery project in Indonesia, with volunteer doctors from the Kingdom set to perform dozens of procedures this week and share their know-how with Indonesian colleagues.
A 16-member team of Saudi medics arrived at M. Djamil Central General Hospital in Padang, West Sumatra, last week, where they are performing free surgeries until July 31.
An estimated 50,000 Indonesian children are born with heart disease every year, according to data from the Indonesian Pediatric Society. Only about 15 percent are treated for it, as there is a severe shortage of specialist wards across the country.
The project is an “extremely valuable humanitarian collaboration,” said Dovy Djanas, the Padang hospital’s president director.
“This is a truly valuable chance for children in West Sumatra who are in need of heart surgery, allowing them to receive free healthcare from experienced medical professionals.”
