Tiny Hearts of Maldives celebrates 10 years

Tiny Hearts of Maldives on Monday celebrated the NGO's 10th anniversary by hosting a Charity Night.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, First Lady Fazna Ahmed, high-ranking government officials, individuals working for the progress of health and social sector and many who support the NGO took part in the celebration held at Dharubaaruge convention centre.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih announced that the enhanced Aasandha health insurance coverage services will extend to newborns with heart conditions, inclusive of assistance and support to the families. He went on to say that National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) and Aasandha are working to resolve problems identified and would consult Tiny Hearts in their area of expertise.

The President praised the efforts of Tiny Hearts in raising awareness about congenital heart conditions in babies.

The cofounders noted and thanked all those who aided the NGO over the past ten years.

Chairperson of Tiny Hearts Dr Aseel Jaleel noted that the journey of treating babies with congenital heart conditions is a hard and dangerous one. He noted that as of now, 581 cases have been registered.

During the ceremony, First Lady Fazna Ahmed launched an overview of independent research carried out on the work done by Tiny Hearts of Maldives over the past decade.

According to the overview of their achievements, prior to Tiny Hearts, heart conditions in small children were diagnosed at the average age of seven years. However, diagnoses are carried out now at the average age of only four months.

The NGO was established in July 2009, in the memory of Keyaan, the firstborn of the organization's founders Ali Muaz and Fathimath Hishmath Faiz. He was born with a congenital heart condition that eventually led to his untimely passing at the mere age of two and a half months.

On September 17, 2017, Tiny Hearts was elected a member of the Geneva-based World Heart Federation, which is a global NGO committed to uniting its members in the fight against heart disease and stroke, with a focus on low-and-middle-income countries.