Pune: VishwaRaj Hospital, Loni, has successfully completed 50 paediatric cardiology surgeries, marking a significant milestone in providing affordable, life-saving care for children with congenital heart defects.
The initiative is led by Dr Aditi Karad, Member Trustee and Joint Secretary of MAEER’s MIT, and Executive Director of VishwaRaj Hospital.
Expanding Access to Paediatric Cardiology Care
The hospital’s efforts in paediatric cardiology focus on children from rural and semi-urban areas who face financial or logistical barriers to specialized treatment.
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By offering these procedures at nominal or affordable costs, VishwaRaj Hospital is ensuring that advanced cardiac care reaches underprivileged communities.
Dr Ashish Banpurkar, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, highlighted that regular screening camps are organized in rural towns such as Baramati, Saswad, Lonand, Phaltan, and Indapur. These camps include medical evaluations and referral support. Children identified with congenital heart issues are brought to the hospital for further procedures.
Advanced Facilities for Paediatric Cardiology Procedures
The surgeries performed include common structural interventions such as Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) device closure and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) closure, along with complex procedures like ductal stenting and transcatheter Fontan completion.
“These procedures are carried out in state-of-the-art facilities, including a cath lab, a dedicated operating theatre for paediatric cardiology, and backed by strong PICU and NICU support,” said Dr Banpurkar.
He added that children as young as three days old have benefited from the hospital’s advanced capabilities, thanks to the teamwork of doctors, nursing staff, and social workers.
Teamwork Behind the Success
The milestone celebration was attended by senior officials, including Sujit Kumar, Director of Medical Services; Sachin Katkade, Medical Operations Head; Dr Chandrkant Sahare, HoD of Paediatrics and Neonatology; Dr Anil Goswami, Consultant Paediatrician; and members of the operations, marketing, and social work teams.
Dr Gauri Baravkar and Dr Kavita Shelke served as comperes for the event, which underscored the hospital’s commitment to making advanced paediatric cardiology treatment accessible to families in need.