Paediatric heart transplant programmes in South Africa

Paediatric heart transplant is extremely specialised with only a few children's transplantation programmes in the country, including one at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital.

Due to the scarcity of donors, especially those whose hearts are suitable for paediatric transplants, mechanical heart pumps known as heart ventricular assist devices (HVADs) are sometimes implanted as a lifeline for children until a suitable, matching donor heart becomes available.