Tibetan kids to get free heart surgeries

LHASA - All children with congenital heart disease in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region are expected to receive free surgeries by 2013, according to the regional health authorities on Wednesday.

He Qinghua, deputy head of the regional health bureau, made the remarks at a press conference to introduce a plan for a medical aid program for Tibetan children with congenital heart disease.

The regional government approved the plan last week.

He said from April 2012 to October 2013, all children with congenital heart disease, from zero to 18 years old, will receive free check-ups, diagnoses and treatment under the aid program.

The Medical Aid Program for Tibetan Children with Congenital Heart Disease will be financially supported by China's interior regions, as well as companies and charity organizations.

The plateau region, with an average altitude of over 4,000 meters, has a much higher reported incidence of congenital heart disease than other parts of China.

The incidence rate is 1.11 percent among newborns in Tibet, compared with 0.8 percent elsewhere in China.

Over 10,000 children are currently diagnosed with congenital heart disease in Tibet, and about 3,000 of them have received free heart surgeries since 2008.