King Faisal Hospital Rwanda has successfully performed 14 pediatric cardiac catheterization procedures on children with congenital heart diseases, including patients as young as two days old.
The procedures were conducted last week by a team led by Dr. Gerard Misago, who recently returned to Rwanda after completing a fellowship in Israel.
According to the hospital, Dr. Misago led the medical team in carrying out the 14 specialized procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, offering potentially life-saving treatment to children born with heart defects.
The Rwandan team was supported by Dr. Abdul Jabbar, a senior interventional pediatric cardiologist from Dhaka Shishu (Children’s) Hospital in Bangladesh, and Dr. Richard Hubbard of the University of Maryland and the Children’s Cardiac Care Foundation.
Cardiac catheterization allows specialists to diagnose and, in selected cases, treat congenital heart abnormalities using minimally invasive techniques. For some young patients, this can reduce the need for more invasive surgical interventions.
King Faisal Hospital said some of the children treated were only two days old, underscoring the highly specialized nature of the interventions and the importance of timely cardiac care for newborns and children with congenital heart conditions.
The program also highlights efforts to strengthen Rwanda’s capacity to provide complex pediatric cardiac care locally. Dr. Misago’s return following specialized training abroad adds domestic expertise in a field where patients have historically often required highly specialized treatment.
The hospital thanked the Children’s Cardiac Care Foundation, Dr. Hubbard, Dr. Jabbar and program coordinator Shamimur for supporting the initiative.
The successful completion of the 14 procedures represents another step in expanding specialized cardiovascular services for children in Rwanda and building local expertise to manage complex congenital heart diseases.
