U.S. Cardiac Surgeons to Assist with Children’s Heart Surgery in Kyrgyzstan
Local Surgeons to Perform Life-Saving Heart Operations for Children in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is set to provide crucial cardiac care for children with congenital heart defects. The Director of the Research Institute of Cardiac Surgery and Organ Transplantation, Samidin Shabyraliev, announced that a series of surgeries will take place from May 2 to 30, involving 80 children registered for these complex procedures.
Under the state guarantees program, free surgeries will be offered for children under six years old, those with Down syndrome, as well as children from orphanages. For older children, costs will range between 18,000 and 160,000 soms, depending on the complexity of the condition. Shabyraliev mentioned, “We will also seek sponsorship to support families from low-income backgrounds.”
The surgical efforts will be conducted in partnership with the American Association of Children’s Cardiac Surgeons, led by Professor William Novick. His team, which includes surgeons, anesthesiologists, resuscitators, and nursing staff, will arrive in Kyrgyzstan in groups for two weeks at a time.
"Professor Novick has conducted surgeries in over 30 countries and has been collaborating with us since 2014," noted Shabyraliev. "The essence of these master classes is to train local medical personnel and to implement American practices in diagnostics, patient preparation, and postoperative care. The U.S. boasts a low rate of postoperative mortality, and while sending doctors abroad for training is costly, it’s far more beneficial when they come to us.”
The operations will be performed at the Republican Diagnostic Center, which has become a temporary location following a recent fire at the Research Institute of Cardiology and Traumatology.
Shabyraliev highlighted the pressing need for pediatric cardiac care in the country, stating that there is only one department dedicated to children with heart defects, equipped with just 20 beds. "This is severely inadequate given the high birth rate of children born with congenital heart defects. Various factors, including improved diagnostics, contribute to this situation. There are over a hundred different types of congenital heart defects, some of which require urgent surgical intervention, warranting a tailored approach for each case," he explained.
This initiative not only aims to provide urgent medical care but also enhances the skills and expertise of local medical personnel, ensuring a brighter future in healthcare for the nation’s children.
