We partner with hospitals in heavily populated regions, resulting in the most impact for the greatest number of children. We work in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam, countries that are home to almost 40 percent of the world’s population.
With a population of more than 166 million people, Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. While it is considered a least developed country, Bangladesh has made great strides in growth and development and is on track to become a developing country in 2026. The southern Asia country is slightly larger than Greece and borders mostly India.
Heart disease is the second cause of infant deaths in Bangladesh. According to the Pediatric Cardiac Society of Bangladesh, about 50,000 children are born with congenital heart disease every year and there are less than 30 pediatric cardiologists in the country. More specialists in pediatric cardiac care are needed to provide care for children who are dying preventable deaths due to lack of access of care.
National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute (NHF), part of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, became the first Children’s HeartLink hospital partner in the country. Located in Dhaka, the country’s capital, they provide specialized care to approximately 2,000 children on an annual basis. In 2021, the pediatric cardiac unit performed over 700 surgeries and is the national referral center for high complex congenital heart disease patients.
We began work in Bangladesh in 2022. Read our announcement here.
Our Partner Hospitals:
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence
With a population of 200 million, Brazil is the most populous country in South America and has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Yet poverty is prevalent, and many parts of the country remain largely undeveloped. Pediatric cardiac programs in Brazil can’t meet the needs of the majority of children who need treatment.
There is a shortage of trained specialists to treat and manage congenital heart disease. The most complex surgeries are performed in the large urban and public hospitals, where most citizens receive free care from Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), the largest public health system in the world. The existing infrastructure to diagnose and treat congenital heart disease in many parts of the country is limited, with an unequal distribution of resources between states in the northern, central and southern regions of the country.
We began working in Brazil in 2009. Learn more about our work in Brazil
Our Partner Hospitals:
- Fortaleza: Hospital de Messejana
- Recife: Real Hospital Português
- Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia
- São Paulo: Instituto do Coração
- São José do Rio Preto: Hospital da Criança e Maternidade *
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence
We began working in China in 1999. With a population of 1.38 billion, China is the most populous country, with one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Despite the economic growth it has experienced over the last decade, many parts of the country remain largely underdeveloped and struggle with poverty.
Children with congenital heart disease face a shortage of pediatric specialists and uneven access to medical care. In many areas of this vast country, patients and their families must travel great distances to seek treatment. In 2009 congenital heart disease became the leading cause of infant mortality in China, surpassing poverty-related illnesses such as diarrheal diseases and tuberculosis. Learn more about our work in China
Our Partner Hospitals:
- Chengdu: West China Hospital of Sichuan University *
- Lanzhou: First Hospital of Lanzhou University *
- Qingdao: Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital
- Taiyuan: Shanxi Women and Children's Hospital
- Tianjin: TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence
India is the world’s second most populous country, with one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Yet the country still struggles with poverty, and children with congenital heart disease face a shortage of pediatric specialists and uneven access to medical care. India has a population of 1.25 billion and only an estimated 120 dedicated pediatric cardiologists, very few of them serving in the public sector.
While many more programs are needed, there are some excellent pediatric cardiac programs in India. In 2014 Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence Amrita Hospital Kochi received a BMJ Award India for Quality Improvement in Healthcare for achieving dramatic reductions in infections and mortality. We began working in India in 2000. In addition to our partner hospitals, we also work with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, the National Board of Examinations, and a local NGO, People 4 People. Learn more about our work in India.
Our Partner Hospitals:
- Bangalore: Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences *
- Chandigarh: Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
- Coimbatore: G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital
- Faridabad: Amrita Hospital Faridabad
- Howrah: Narayana Superspeciality Hospital
- Kochi: Amrita Hospital Kochi *
- Kolkata: Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences
- Mumbai: Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence
In Malaysia 2,000-3,000 children require heart surgery every year, yet most don’t get the care they need. There are few pediatric cardiac programs and long patient waiting lists in this country of 31 million people. Geographic challenges contribute to the challenges of access to care. Malaysia occupies parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo. The most complex heart cases are sent to Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur. We began working in Malaysia in 2008. Learn more about our work in Malaysia
Our Partner Hospitals:
- Kuala Lumpur: Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute) *
- Sepang: Sultan Idris Shah Hospital (formerly Serdang Hospital)
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence
In Vietnam, very few children receive optimal treatment for congenital heart disease, especially infants with the most serious conditions. Most children are never diagnosed or treated, and the vast majority will die prematurely. There are few pediatric cardiac programs in this country of 95 million.
The most complex surgeries are performed only in large urban centers, and they struggle with long patient waiting lists. In 2017 only five centers had the ability to provide surgery for children under 1 year of age. Provincial and district hospitals largely lack the infrastructure to diagnose and treat congenital heart disease. We began working in Vietnam in 2008. Learn more about our work in Vietnam
Our Partner Hospitals:
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence