The paediatric cardiac centre at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital – the largest such facility in Africa – has assisted thousands of young patients, not only from South Africa but from around the continent with heart repair, heart valve replacement and other cardiac procedures.

Children’s heart disorders are often different to cardiac problems experienced by adults and each case is unique. For this reason, the multidisciplinary paediatric cardiac team at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital assesses each patient holistically and then devises a customised treatment plan for each. Life saving surgery makes it possible for many children born with congenitally malformed hearts to enjoy a good quality of life.

The Maboneng Foundation, a non-profit organisation, coordinates the sponsorship of surgeries for South African children with congenital heart defects and brings together a highly skilled multidisciplinary team of paediatric cardiac and other paediatric specialists under the auspices of the Maboneng Heart Institute, based at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. The team makes use of the latest medical technology and techniques in giving young patients with life threatening heart conditions or heart failure the best possible chance at life.

There is also an outpatient heart failure clinic at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital to assist in the management of complex paediatric cardiac cases. It is the goal of the centre to prevent sudden cardiac death through the appropriate management of advanced heart failure in paediatric patients.