The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Free surgery for children with hydrocepha­lus, birth defects

- Tina Musonza

THE Spina Bifida & Hydrocepha­lus Associatio­n of Zimbabwe( SHAZ) is offering early screening and treatment of spina bifida and hydrocepha­lus to children.

Spina bifida is a birth defect in which a baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly while hydrocepha­lous is a condition where a build- up of fluid in the cavities happens deep within the brain.

The extra fluid puts pressure on the brain and can cause brain damage. It’s most common in infants and older adults.

Screening for the two conditions started this week ahead of surgeries to be done at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare.

In an interview on Monday SHAZ programmes director Miss Shamiso Kurewa said they partnered with Celebratio­n Health, Miracle Missions, Yonsei University Health System among others to treat children with spina bifida and hydrocepha­lus in Harare.

She said the operations would take place up to Friday this week, adding that they were targeting 38 people and 20 children had so far showed up ahead of their operations.

“We are going to be operating children with spina bifida and hydrocepha­lus. Screening was done yesterday and we have repeat cases where children encountere­d challenges with blocked shunt from previous operations.

Our target for this camp is 38 patients and it is free of charge. So far we have started operating two children, we are supposed to operate 7 per day.

She said scanning was set in place for children then they will proceed for surgeries.

Kurewa commended the Government for permitting private hospitals to do surgeries in Harare since it is a mobile place.

She said there was need for more mobile places to facilitate early spinal bifida and hydrocepha­lus detection and treatment since cases were increasing.

Sally Mugabe Central Hospital neurologis­t Dr Mandla Maposa said all was set for the smooth running of the surgical procedures after they selected children that were fit to be operated on.

“We have started operating on children with spina bifida and hydrocepha­lus. We did our screening at the weekend to see children that are coming in.

“We normally select the ones that fit into the criteria for these two conditions.

We have started operating on children with hydrocepha­lus conditions, that is those with increased spinal fluids around their brains,” said Dr Maposa.

He said children with special conditions such as respirator­y problems were not fit for the surgeries.

Dr Maposa urged parents to get children screened for easy treatment of spinal bifida and hydrocepha­lus.

Miss Vimbai Mureba from Chiredzi said she was happy to deliver her baby for free hydrocepha­lus treatment.

“I am happy my child is getting through this surgery and I hope it will help reduce some challenges we have been going through. He has been facing challenges with his eyesight. I discovered he had hydrocepha­lus during my pregnancy scanning. I hope the doctors will help,” said Miss Mureba.

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