PANO – Thousands of people in Gia Lai province flocked to the Hospital of Chu Se Rubber, as they learnt that the hospital was hosting the program “Operation Healthy Heart.”

Nguyen Thi Hoan, an employee of the military-run telecommunication group Viettel in Gia Lai (Viettel Gia Lai), said that, “More than 1,500 children in Gia Lai province have registered for the free congenital heart disease screening program sponsored and organized by Viettel Gia Lai, the Hospital of Hanoi Medical University, Chu Se Rubber Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital, and Vietnam Television. We will do our best to bring back happiness to the children.”

Photo: qdnd.vn

This is the first time medical personnel from central hospitals and medical agencies have visited and provided free cardiac disease screening; therefore, a lot of people took their children to the examination site.

The medical personnel then discovered 36 cases of congenital heart disease and some children were closely monitored with treatment prescribed. During the examination, Viettel Gia Lai staff helped the families of the children with procedures to apply for support from the “Operation Healthy Heart” program. Furthermore, each child received milk and cakes, worth VND 50,000.

With moving emotion, Nin, 47, in La Bang commune, Dak Doa district, said, “My son is 10 years old, but very weak due to congenital heart disease. We are so poor that we cannot afford the treatment. Now that my son has been examined for free treatment, we feel so happy. A lot of thanks to the medical personnel and “Operation Healthy Heart”!

Since October 2008, Viettel, in association with Vietnam Television and 15 prestigious hospitals, has implemented the “Operation Healthy Heart” program to provide free heart surgery and treatment for children with congenital heart disease, and provided screening examinations for numerous disadvantaged children. In Gia Lai alone,  more than 7,000 needy children in the districts of Duc Co, Ia Grai, Chu Pah, Chu Se, Chu Prong, Ia Pa, Ayun Pa, etc. have benefited from the program.

Translated by Huu Duong