Gift of life
A project of Rotary to save the lives of children suffering from heart ailments

Dr Radhesyam Oinam *

A scene from 'Heart to Heart', A film on CHD – Congenital Heart Defect ; Director : Bachaspatimayum Sunzu

Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) is responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defects across the world. CHD is believed to affect 8 new born children in every 1000, and 1 in every 10 CHD births is fatal. In India, as per estimates, 1,80,000 children are born with CHD every year, and less than 10,000 get treated, for the rest it is a death warrant for they can neither afford the treatment nor have any access to paediatric heart care. It is estimated that more than 20,000 children and adults are suffering silently from congenital heart ailments in the State of Manipur.

The genesis of the Heart Project of Rotary Club of Imphal goes back to August 2008 when the concept of a heart project was visualised ad the project was christened 'Heart to Heart' Project. Two months later, on 5th October, 2008, in spite of a sudden strike called on that day, 114 children had reported for the first ever screening at the Imphal Rotary Centre and 40 of those children had been diagnosed with holes in the heart.

Thereafter, Rotarians of RC Imphal took up the mammoth task of raising the funds from among themselves, friends and well-wishers to sponsor the open heart surgery of the 40 children. Logistics and locating the right hospital were the other challenges. With Rotary Club of Asansol offering the logistic supports and requisite blood and Mission Hospital, Durgapur offering the operation at one third of the normal cost, the first batch of three children could finally leave for treatment on 9th September, 2009. And, a year after, by 15th September, 25 of the 40 children had undergone open heart surgery at the Mission Hospital, Durgapur. Then, came the deadlock – the complete exhaustion of the funds to sponsor any more children.

Fortunately, around that time, two interesting developments occurred. First came the news of the documentary on the heart project – 'Heart to Heart' winning the 58th National Film Award and second, the communication from the National Co-ordinator of Gift of Life (India) Rtn Dr AC Peter offering us to support the children from Manipur for free open heart surgery at the best hospitals in Delhi – Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital & National Heart Institute. So far, 131 children from Manipur have been operated under Rotary's Heart Project and nearly 300 children from the North East India. Another 30 children from Manipur will be operated this year in New Delhi under the Gift of Life programme.

'Gift of Life' is a Rotary Humanitarian Programme for saving lives of underprivileged children suffering from cases of congenital heart diseases. Launched in India on 14th November 20002, Gift of Life Project is managed by Rotary Club of Delhi Midwest, Rotary Club of Delhi East End and Rotary (Delhi NCR) Gift of Life Trust. The surgeries are offered at one-third of the cost by the participating hospitals in New Delhi – the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, National Heart Institute and Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital, offering the best of the care and services.

Interestingly, the funds are raised by the Rotarians of New Delhi from among themselves, friends, well-wishers and Rotarians from different parts of the country and the world. There is no funding from the Government or any organisations. At Delhi, all the logistics operations are co-ordinated by the Rotarians, from receiving the children at the airport to arranging their accommodation. Kalakar Trust, a project of the Rotarian has been offering the transportation services at Delhi at free of cost. Accommodation with free food is provided by Manav Ashray, an NGO; Rotary Blood Bank, New Delhi takes care of the average requirements of 4-5 units of blood per child.

Both the Rotary Clubs in Imphal – Rotary Club of Imphal and Rotary Club of Polo City Imphal have been providing humanitarian and community service since its in inception in 1974 and 2010, which include – oxygen cylinder service, computer training, sewing and embroidery training – all at free of cost, regular medical camps, child insurance programme, regular nutrition and scholarships at children home, tree plantation projects, mortuary van service, annual vocational awards and the heart project for children.

As part of service beyond frontiers, doctors from the club have been participating in Indo-Nigeria Rotary Medical Mission. This year, on 26th January, 2700 patients were examined with free medicines at the mega medical camp organised by Rotary Club of Imphal Kalay Town in Myanmar. One Ultrasound machine with printer was also donated to the Kalay Civil Hospital.

In 2012, Rotary Club of Imphal was awarded the coveted 'Change Maker Winner' chosen among 11 countries comprising the 'Zone-6' of Rotary International. Winning the 'Best Service & Technology Film' for the documentation of the Heart Project at the 58th National Film Award was another feather in the cap of for Rotary Club of Imphal.

A similar project taken up by the Government of Assam to provide free heart surgery to children, the only State to launch such a scheme in the country; could be also considered for Manipur. Owing to lack of even a single paediatric cardiologist in the State of Assam, the scheme was launched in July 2010 by the State Health Minister, Shri Himanta Biswas Sharma. 845 children out of the 1648 screened have been already operated at Narayana Hrudalaya, Bangalore.

Going by the global incidence rate of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) affecting 8 new born children in every 1000, it could be estimated that more than 10 thousand children with congenital heart ailments are suffering silently in Manipur. These children will succumb prematurely as they have neither the access to treatment as there is not a single paediatric cardiologist in Manipur, nor the ability of these families to afford paediatric heart care outside the State.