Project Little Hearts: Helping the Newly-Born to Live

“Little Hearts Project” is a dream with the mission and vision of securing the ability to treat up to 10,000 children every year.  This is a project to construct and commission a 10-storied Cardiac and Critical Care Complex at the premises of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for children (LRH) at Borella.  

This is the premier National Hospital, which treats children under 12 years of age, free of charge.  

It is estimated that there are about 3,000 children born with congenital hearts diseases and other serious 
heart ailments.  

According to Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, only some 100 cardiac surgeries and 700 catheter-based interventions are done every year. Surgeries are prolonged when considering the need for multiple surgeries for the same patient.  

The target is to perform 2,000 surgeries and 1,000 catheter based interventions.  

As the LRH has more than 900 beds, the percentage of ICU beds available is 1-2 %. This is grossly inadequate while more than 60% of requests made are rejected and critically ill patients are forced to be treated in general wards, which lack ICU beds – posing a risk for the lives of the little children.  It is estimated that some 1,000 to 1,500 children with heart disease and critical illnesses are lost every year. Eight out of 1,000 newly-born leave this world before their 1st birthday. His or Her chance of survival is less than 50% according to hospital sources.  

A request is made to all citizens, media and religious organizations to promote and find funds for this project in the shortest possible time. The target to complete the complex is Rs.2,000 billion.  

As citizens of Sri Lanka who reap the benefits of free healthcare it is our responsibility to find the funds needed to save our children, who do not have a voice that could be heard.  

They are our future generation, who need our attention and help.   

All administrative costs will be borne by well-wishers and guardians of this project and all contributions are Tax-Free.   

Every cent and every rupee counts, is the plea of “Little Hearts Project” Chairperson Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe.  Contact the LRH hot line: 071-644-1122 for further information.  

“This is not a project for somebody else. Take it as your own project for your own child because it may be the reality one day.  An extraordinary event that needs extraordinary support.