An SOS — Hole in tender hearts, act

While a strict count of congenital cardiac cases have enabled developed countries to have an idea of the incidence (two to three in every thousand), India remains dangerously unaware of the enormity of the problem.

A very conservative estimate, based on the reported cases at the Institute of Child Health (ICH), puts the incidence in Tamil Nadu at six in a thousand. It could be much higher in States with a less efficient health care system. Not only that there is no registry of cases in the country, research on the root cause and varying nature of the disorders is zero.

“Viral fever and effect of drugs on the mother during the first three months of pregnancy are identified as the common causes of the foetus developing heart disorders. There is another unproven theory attributing it to malnutrition. However, there may be other causes, which we never know till further research is done. A genetic study will help reveal the root cause,” says Dr P S Srimathi, paediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at ICH.

A RAY OF HOPE: Against the alarming backdrop, Tamil Nadu gives a ray of hope. The ICH, equipped with the latest equipment and skilled surgeons, has taken to heart the mission to save infants and children inflicted with the twin evil of disease and poverty.

The whole treatment including surgery is done free of cost to the poor under the `Ilam Kuzhanthaigal Irudaya Aruvaisikitchai Thittam,’ launched by the State Government in 1993. With some Japanese aid coming through, the treatment became state-of-the art.

And with results. Since 1993, the mortality rate in the case of complicated intra-cardiac defects have come down from 40 per cent to 24.5 per cent and that of complicated extra-cardiac defects from 40 per cent to 14 per cent. Uncomplicated heart disorders have been brought down to two per cent.

“Catch them at infancy and the success rate can be as high as 98 per cent. Our long-term follow up programmes have shown that the children grow up healthy,” says Dr Srimathi. She suggests a network of health personnel to screen babies for heart problems and training Public Health Centre level paramedical staff for identifying the symptoms.

The common symptoms of juvenile cardiac diseases are baby turning blue, breathlessness and difficulty in feeding the baby. Malnutrition worsens the disease, as underweighing babies are prone to complications. Lack of cleanliness, too, can be disastrous. A small cut on the baby’s body, if it becomes septic, can manifest as infection of the pericardium of the heart.