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. More information about our work in Brazil here
Our Partner Hospitals:
* Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence