Free Screening at Medical Camp Picks up Four Cases of Heart Disease in Children
The Sai Prema Foundation conducted its “Health on Wheels” Medical Camp at the Namara District School last Saturday.
As part of the Foundation’s Project HEARTBEAT, a total of 75 children were screened for Heart Disease at the village by Dr Maryanne Kora’ai – a Pediatric Doctor from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM Hopsital).
Medical co-ordinator of the Sai Prema Foundation Dr Krupali Tappoo confirmed that the three children identified with rheumatic heart disease wiould require four weekly benzathine penicillin injections at their nearest nursing station and they would be followed up at the CWM Hospital. Dr Krupali confirmed that the child with the congenital heart defect would be screened and, if needed, operated on by the visiting international team of surgeons, doctors and medical professionals representing the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals, India, in April.
The Sai Prema Foundation’s ‘Gift of Life’ programme offers heart surgeries for children here, free. The Sai Prema Foundation’s ‘Health On Wheels’ is a medical outreach programme, in association with the Ministry of Health, to the rural villages of Fiji. A group of 60 to 100 doctors, health professionals and volunteers make their way to a nominated rural location once a month and all villagers are given medical consultations and medications completely free.
‘Health on Wheels’ co-ordinator Namrata Tappoo said the camp last weekend was their most successful where medical specialties were offered to the people of Namara and surrounding areas.
These services included general medical consultations, dental consultations and procedures, dietetics, eye and ophthalmology consultations, physiotherapy, men’s health consultations, prostate cancer screening, women’s health consultations and pap smears, disabilities screening, cancer counselling and awareness, and a blood collection drive.