OHF to organise screening for congenital heart disease for free or subsidised treatment

In a noble effort to assist underprivileged children with heart diseases, the Oniya Heart Foundation (OHF) is organizing a free screening camp for the detection of congenital heart diseases. The camp will be held for two days, from 13 to 14 December, at the conference hall of R.K. Mission Hospital, starting at 9 am.

Speaking to the press at the Arunachal Press Club on Thursday, the founder of OHF and vice chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women, Nabam Yahi Tad, informed that the foundation is dedicated in the name of her 7-year-old daughter, Tad Oniya, who was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect known as Single Ventricle when she was just 45 days old. Oniya has since undergone two heart surgeries, the most recent one when she was 6 years old.

Nabam shared her initial feelings of despair upon learning of her child’s condition, but after the successful completion of Oniya’s second surgery, the family decided to establish the Oniya Heart Foundation in her daughter’s name. “I want to offer a helping hand to underprivileged children who are dealing with this disease and to the mothers who are facing such situations,” she said.

The screening camp is organized with the goal of identifying infants and children who have cardiac defects or problems present from birth (congenital heart disease). It will offer subsidized or free treatment at Aster Medcity Hospital in Cochin, Kerala. A team of medical experts, led by Dr. Edwin Francis, a senior consultant pediatric cardiologist from Aster Medcity Hospital, will conduct the camp.

The services provided are for those seeking treatment for infants, children with heart issues, and adults with known congenital heart disease. The camp will also offer diagnostic services for infants and children suspected of having cardiac issues.

Children suffering from frequent respiratory infections, poor weight gain, bluish discoloration of fingers, breathlessness or chest pain on exertion, feeding difficulties, and other related symptoms may avail themselves of the free screening camp, OHF stated.

Those interested in availing the free screening camp may contact the camp coordinators: