Congenital Heart Defects are very common and critical birth defects, however survival and life expectancy of individuals with congenital heart disease have significantly increased with earlier diagnosis, improved surgical interventions and better medical management.
Every year, an estimated 85,000 children are born with congenital heart defects in Nigeria, all are currently referred out of the country for surgeries. A high proportion of children with surgically amenable congenital heart disease will require life-saving, invasive intervention to help improve their quality of life significantly. It is estimated that compared to their peers, the medical costs for individuals with congenital heart disease are 10 to 20 times greater funds most of these family cannot afford.