E

very year, hundreds of thousands of children in Africa require life-saving heart surgery but are denied this chance because of a lack of funds and the access to the right facilities.

 

Without humanitarian support, the treatment of CHD (congenital heart disease) is unaffordable for the vast majority of the population in Africa. The costs are prohibitive even though the treatment can be life-saving and often have a strikingly positive impact on the child’s life.

 

Those who cannot afford the treatment will either accept their fate or attempt to raise some money, with the help of their families or local communities.

 

The World Health Organization has published figures proving that heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. 75% of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries.

 

In South Africa, where 85% of the 60.6 million population lives without medical insurance and depends solely on public healthcare, heart disease is the third leading cause of death.

 

The majority of cases in public hospitals involve either congenital heart disease (CHD) or rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Tragically, around 4,500 children need corrective surgery annually, but fewer than 800 receive it in public facilities.

The situation is similar for adults, who often resign themselves to their fate or attempt to raise funds with the help of family or their community.

 

Unfortunately, these efforts usually fall short, or the money comes too late.

 

Even when families manage to cover the costs, the financial burden is devastating, affecting both their current circumstances and their future plans.

 

Young Hearts Africa is all about caring for the hearts of the children of our continent. We believe that every child deserves a chance to live a healthy and fulfilling life and to become the best that they can be.

 

The Young Hearts Foundation, through the beauty of music, aims to tell the stories of these children and to raise much needed funds and awareness to make these life-saving operations possible and help them, their families and their communities create a better life and a more prosperous future.