Fourteen Tanzanian children underwent successful heart surgery during a joint Israeli-German medical mission to Dar es Salaam this month.

The five-day medical mission — supported by Save a Child’s Heart Canada and Ein Herz für Kinder — included a German team led by Prof. Felix Berger of the Deutsches Herzzentrum in Berlin and an Israeli team led by Dr. Akiva Tamir, head of the pediatric cardiology unit at Wolfson Medical Center.

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute hosted the Israeli and German doctors and nurses. Photo courtesy of SACH

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute hosted the Israeli and German doctors and nurses. The Tanzanian team was led by Dr. Godwin Godfrey, who trained in Israel for nearly five years with SACH’s help before becoming Tanzania’s first pediatric cardiac surgeon, and Dr. Naiz Majani, pediatric cardiologist also trained by SACH in Israel.

In addition to the lifesaving operations, the Israeli and German doctors held an open clinic for heart disease patients. Among the children waiting in line to be screened was six-year-old Dismas, who underwent lifesaving heart surgery in Israel two years ago thanks to SACH. His mother reported that since returning from Israel, he has started to attend school and loves to run and play.

SACH medical teams often do checkups or follow-up procedures on patients they treated months or years previously.

SACH reported that the mission was “a successful one… paving the way for future cooperation between Save a Child’s Heart and the Deutsches Herzzentrum.”

The medical teams on their last day at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Dar es Salaam. Photo courtesy of SACH

(via Israel21c)

[Photo: Israel21c ]