The “Gift of Life” is a non – profit initiative by the Spiritan Self -Awareness Initiative (SSAI) Nigeria,
working in partnership with Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals (SSSH), Naya Raipur, Chattisgarh, India and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH),
Enugu to perform free of cost Paediatric Cardiac Surgeries in Nigeria, for Indigent children of Africa suffering from Congenital Heart Diseases.
33 open heart surgeries have been done completely free of cost.
Due to the restrictions of movement as a result of the covid’19 pandemic, the 2020 Gift of Life camp was cancelled as our Indian partners could not travel.
Gift of Life
“Every observer of human misery among the poor reports that disease plays the leading role” – Irving Fisher
Gift of Life Mission is a humble beginning to achieve one of the objectives of Medicare Mission of the Spiritan Self Awareness Initiative, namely:
To become Institution of Paediatric Cardiac Excellence for Nigeria and several developing African countries.
The goal of Gift of Life would include
- * Bringing Foreign Paediatric Cardiac Team to Nigeria
- * Providing Accommodation for the Foreign Team
- * Finalization of the Partner Hospital Operating Infra
Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is one of the most life-threatening diseases affecting the young of the world.
CHD accounts for nearly one-third of all major congenital anomalies, representing a major Global Health Problem.
Globally, an estimated 1.3 million children, nearly one out of every 100, are born with a congenital heart condition every year. Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani International Center for Child Heart Care & Research aims to address in part this global burden.
In Nigeria, over 37,145 children are estimated to be born with CHD every year. The majority of these die silently without ever being diagnosed or receiving the necessary care. Provision of paediatric cardiac services and uneven distribution of such services in the most populous sub-Saharan African country presents a huge challenge.
Currently, most of the surgical pediatric cardiac needs of Nigerian children are being met outside the country, with only a small number of affected children receiving their interventions in the country during periodic medical missions undertaken by specialists from within and outside Nigeria.
The use of periodic medical missions to accomplish intervention in a few selected cases, while marginally reducing the burden of children with uncorrected cardiac abnormalities, will only serve a short-term mediation of the problem.
In Nigeria, over 37,145 children are estimated to be born with CHD every year. The majority of these die silently without ever being diagnosed or receiving the necessary care. Provision of paediatric cardiac services and uneven distribution of such services in the most populous sub-Saharan African country presents a huge challenge.
Currently, most of the surgical pediatric cardiac needs of Nigerian children are being met outside the country, with only a small number of affected children receiving their interventions in the country during periodic medical missions undertaken by specialists from within and outside Nigeria.
The use of periodic medical missions to accomplish intervention in a few selected cases, while marginally reducing the burden of children with uncorrected cardiac abnormalities, will only serve a short-term mediation of the problem.
