For every 1,000 children born in Kenya, about eight of them come with heart defects. Anne Wangari says a million questions flashed through her mind when her three-month-old daughter was diagnosed with a “ hole” in the heart in 2009. There was also shock, disbelief and denial.
She found herself questioning the quality of life her daughter would lead. How would she cope as she grew up? Jasmine Nduta is now a bubbly, five-year-old pre-unit pupil at Ruiru's Viola Academy.
“She is always active and very playful but cannot stand for long. She easily contracts infections, so we cannot allow her in some games like swimming,” says Wangari, a teacher at Nairobi's Light Academy. “She often asks me, Mum, when will I start swimming. My answer has always been, soon, my dear.”
Medics first noted Jasmine had a problem in 2009 because she could not straighten up properly when being weighed, and she had low weight.
She was treated but there were detectable murmurs from her heart. Wangari and her husband James Chege, an army officer, took her for more tests.
Hurlingham-based cardiologist Dr Celeste Okello finally carried out an echo and discovered Jasmine had a ventricular septal defect (VSD), commonly called a hole in the heart.
Some VSDs are not detected until a person reaches adulthood. Signs can include shortness of breath and a loud heart murmur when the doctor listens with a stethoscope.
The defect involves a hole forming between the heart's lower chambers, allowing oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to mix. If untreated, it can result in life-threatening complications like permanent damage to the lung arteries and pulmonary hypertension. Some extreme cases cause heart failure or stroke. Jasmine was finally wheeled to the theatre at Mater Hospital in Nairobi two weeks ago for a delicate operation to seal the hole. The two-hour open-heart surgery was led by the head of cardiology department at the University of Nairobi, Dr James Munene.
The operation cost more than Sh500,000 but was heavily subsidised by the Mater Heart Run, a charity programme that has since 1996 funded more than 2,500 heart treatments for children at the hospital. It is a delicate operation where the heart is put to rest and a bypass machine pumps blood around the body.
Dr Simon Nderitu, cardiac surgeon, first makes an incision in the chest to reach the heart. Dr Munene, who leads the operation, examines the defect and begins to prepare a special patch that will cover the 0.8cm hole.
Dr Munene says such holes are treatable. “The small holes actually close on their own or don't cause problems,” he says. He says many people with the small defects live normal, productive lives with few related problems.Those with larger holes, like Jasmine, require surgical repair early in life to prevent complications.
Dr Munene says its not known exactly why congenital heart defects like VSDs develop and mothers should not think they did something wrong during pregnancy.
He says while such operations carry some risk, those done at Mater have been highly successful because patients first undergo a litany of tests. Complications, such as bleeding and infection, from VSD surgery are rare, he says.
After two grueling hours, tests show the hole in Jasmine's heart has been successfully sealed. There is no leakage. The surgeons and the cardiac nurses begin sending blood back to the heart which, almost miraculously, begins kicking with vigour. Dr Munene slowly closes the chest after further tests.
Doctors expect her to lead a normal lifestyle. She can finally learn swimming without having to worry about swimming pool infections.
Jasmine hopes to participate in this year's Mater’s Heart Run next Saturday in Nairobi. Her parents have already bought the Sh1,000 t-shirt for her and more for other family members.
“She's back to her feet! She has one more scheduled clinic visit before resuming school. She can't wait to run next week, and finally learn how to swim!” her mother says.
Mater head of marketing Lawrence Muiga said this year they are targeting Sh70 million to fund heart operations at least 300 children. “We usually evaluate the financial ability of parents or guardians and and come up with a cost-sharing plan,” he says. They have already screened 100 children, who will be operated on once money is available.
The annual charity run takes place on Saturday May 24 in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya. “Children contributors have always raised 70 per cent of the funds,” Muiga adds.
He says last year approximately 50,000 supporters turned out to run in three venues in Nairobi, Mombasa and Mumias. They raised Sh54 million, which funded 231 heart surgeries. “Jasmine is now fine. We'll all run to support other children like her,” says Wangari.
