Following the launch of “Think Heart, Save a Child” project in May 2018, two children with hole in heart conditions have successfully undergone surgeries at the Cardiothoracic Center at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
The beneficiaries: who are both two years of age and from Accra were selected from the list of requests received by MTN Ghana Foundation and 3 Foundation. The two hole in heart surgeries were carried out at a total cost of GH¢27,977.40. The amount covered the admissions and medication for the two children.
Commenting on the project, the Acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana Mrs. Pala Asiedu Ofori said, ‘We are excited about the success of the two surgeries.” “Through this life saving initiative, we hope to bring more smiles to children and their families and also make their lives a lot brighter. We hope the children recover quickly so they lead a healthy life”.
Madam Elizabeth Ankomah, mother of one of the beneficiaries expressed her gratitude to MTN Ghana Foundation and 3 Foundation for coming to the aid of her son, James. She said “as result of this initiative by MTN and TV3 my son can live a normal life and play with his peers. I am so excited because without them I would never have been able to raise this money.
The “Think Heart, Save a Child” project is a partnership between MTN Ghana Foundation and 3 Foundation to finance the surgeries of children between the ages of one and twelve years suffering from hole in heart conditions. Under the partnership, the MTN Ghana Foundation is providing a total of GH¢ 200,000.00 yearly to support surgeries, admissions and medication of selected beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries of “Think Heart, Save a Life” are selected based on a criteria designed by a joint team from MTN, 3 Foundation and the National Cardiothoracic center. Before the end of December 2018, four additional children will benefit from hole in heart surgeries at Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital.
During the launch of the project on May 09, 2018, it was disclosed that many of the children who suffer from hole in heart conditions were left to die due to lack of funds. Statistics indicated that more than 7,000 children were born annually with hole-in-heart conditions in Ghana and their parents are unable to afford the cost of heart surgeries required.
In order to create more impact, MTN Ghana is calling on Corporate Ghana and members of the general public to support the project by donating through MTN MoMo Number 0245270081 or through MTN short code 1962 so more children can be impacted.
Since the establishment of the MTN Ghana Foundation in 2007, the Foundation has implemented over 142 projects nationwide of which 50 are health projects. Key health projects carried out by the MTN Ghana Foundation include the construction of a 40 bed maternity block for Tema General Hospital, refurbishment of the labour ward of the 2nd Floor of the Korle Bu Maternity Block, construction of a theatre and an Intensive Care Unit for the Princess Marie Louis Children’s hospital in Accra, the construction of Neonatal Center for Tamale Teaching Hospital, donation of medical equipment to various health facilities across the country, construction of CHPS Compounds in selected communities.
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