Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed has inaugurated “Tiny Hearts of Maldives”, an NGO with the objective of providing information and professional knowledge and support to Maldivian parents on children’s heart health issues, with a particular emphasis on congenital heart conditions.

Tiny Hearts of Maldives is an association established in memory of Keyaan, the first born son of Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz, the founders of the association. Keyaan was born with a congenital heart condition, which resulted in his untimely death at the age of two and half months.

Speaking at the function to inaugurate the association, Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed said parents of children born with such health conditions are faced with emotional suffering and challenges.

Stressing the importance of providing support and encouragement for such parents, the Vice President thanked the founders of Tiny Hearts of Maldives, Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz, for taking the initiative to establish the association with the noble objective.

In his speech, the Vice President said most Maldivian families cannot afford providing sufficient care and treatment for children with such medical conditions. Speaking in this regard, he said it was important to extend the coverage of Madhana programme, national health insurance scheme, to include newborns along with their mothers.

At last evening’s function, Tiny Hearts of Maldives launched the National Congenital Heart Disease Register.