Saved from the streets
Click on the picture to watch the story of Grace (in English, with Dutch subtitles).
News
- “Bolivia is not doing enough to protect girls against sexual violence"
- New projects against child exploitation in Ehiopia
- Government promises action against Dutch pedophiles in foreign countries
- Social Impact Award for Nairobits
- Child domestic labour: law enforcers turn out law breakers
- Child sexual abuse in Jinja district
- Introduction to East Africa of new Executive Director
- Contribution to The Mater Heart Run
- Mrs. Ban Ki Moon visits Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project
- Terre des Hommes draws the attention of the United Nations to the human rights of trafficked children
- The Hague Global Child Labour Conference
- For a reinforcement of children’s rights
Operation Heartbeat
Project code
: KE088A
Project period:
01/04/2001 to 31/03/2011
| Programme | Health | Funds needed | €227026.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Kenya | People supported directly | 90 |
| Project location | Nairobi | People supported indirectly | 30000 |
"Operation Heartbeat" is a cardiac programme providing curative and preventive cardiac care to vulnerable children in partnership with The Mater Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Through Mater's Cardiac Health Programme the lives of children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in need of surgery are saved. In addition to direct assistance, the programme focuses on capacity building and sustainability measures with the objective to provide high quality cardiac care to needy children in Kenya and neighbouring countries, through upgrading of professional skills and expanding sustainability through an endowment fund.
Kenya lacks a comprehensive health insurance policy and hence medical care in Kenya is not accessible to all particularly for the majority poor. The poor depend on local health clinics, government hospitals and for marginal areas, traditional healers. Poor people often wait too long to seek medical advice and especially when it comes to a cardiac problem, it is often too late. Treatment, which very often could have been prevented, suddenly becomes very expensive and unaffordable.
Lack of good nutrition and sanitation are often characteristic of the majority of settings in Kenya often resultant to children being born with a cardiac problem. It is estimated that out of every 1000 children, twelve are born with a congenital heart disease. Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), a ‘neglected' sore throat from a streptococcus infection, is another common problem among children in East Africa.
For Terre des Hommes Netherlands it has been a long time tradition to evacuate children with a heart problem from underdeveloped countries to The Netherlands for operations. Over the years a transition took place whereby the capacity of local health facilities and medical practitioners was built. It is more sustainable and will eventually lead to improved local health systems, which should become accessible for every sick child. In addition, increasing awareness regarding prevention of heart diseases among the communities and the establishment of an endowment fund will contribute to the sustainability of the programme.