By Zim GBC News Health Correspondent
Harare, Zimbabwe – In a heartwarming display of international medical cooperation, a team of Egyptian surgeons has given hope to Zimbabwean families by performing life-saving open-heart surgeries on 10 children at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.
Among the beneficiaries is three-year-old Gracious Chikova, who lay in the intensive care unit with tubes snaking across her bandaged chest. Just a day earlier, surgeons had successfully repaired a congenital heart defect that threatened her life. Her mother, Vimbainashe Chakanungwa, watched anxiously as her daughter sipped a drink from a syringe.
“I had given up. Those with money have been taking their children to India for surgery, but I simply couldn’t afford it,” said Chakanungwa, a teacher who earns just $300 a month—barely enough to cover basic household needs, let alone an expensive overseas operation.
A Rare Opportunity in a Struggling Health System
Zimbabwe has only five cardiothoracic surgeons, including Dr. Kudzai Kanyepi, the country’s first and only female heart surgeon. With public hospitals facing chronic equipment shortages and limited specialist care, many children with congenital heart conditions go untreated.
“There is no medication that can replace surgery. The burden of disease remains, and unfortunately, some of the children pass away without getting the help they desperately need,” Dr. Kanyepi told Zim GBC News.
“It is the reason why we continue to work in our country. There is nothing greater than helping your own people.”
After a five-year pause due to economic challenges, Zimbabwe resumed open-heart surgeries in 2023. Since then, local surgeons have operated on 55 children, with an additional 19 benefiting from two surgical camps—one last year and another in July—conducted with Egyptian assistance and support from NGOs like Gift of Life International.
A Glimpse of Hope Amidst High Mortality Risks
Congenital heart disease affects about 1 in 100 children globally, making it the most common birth defect, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Zimbabwe, an estimated 4,500 children are born with heart defects each year, with many unable to access timely treatment.
Dr. Simukayi Machawira, head of cardiology at Parirenyatwa Hospital, warned that without intervention,
“30%—or around 1,200 infants—are likely to die in their first year.”
“You can imagine, it’s quite a lot of children,” he said.
African Solidarity in Action
The Egyptian surgical team, led by Dr. Hesham Shawky, has organized similar medical camps in Kenya and Uganda.
“This is the only solution for many people in Africa because they can’t afford private care,” Dr. Shawky explained.
On the hospital ward, mothers kept a close watch over their recovering children, their faces etched with relief. Machines beeped softly as nurses adjusted IV lines, and one baby slept peacefully beside a balloon scrawled with a smiley face.
For Chakanungwa, the joy of seeing her daughter recover was immeasurable.
“I had resorted to prayer, just hoping for a miracle,” she said, smiling.
“It’s impossible to open my heart to show my gratitude and happiness. I was afraid that I could lose my baby, but here she is. She’s back to life.”
The initiative highlights the critical need for expanded pediatric cardiac care in Zimbabwe and the power of cross-border medical collaboration to save young lives.
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