Caring for Hearts, from the First Heartbeat

24/7

Emergency care

Round-the-clock emergency cardiac care.

24/7

Basic echocardiography

Heart ultrasound whenever it is needed.

24/7

Patient admissions

Admission at any hour, day or night.

By appointment

Cath lab

Elective procedures, booked in advance.

259

referred patients treated locally by catheter intervention

Up to 300

complex cardiac surgeries arranged abroad

FREE

every one of these procedures was at no cost to the family

01

Paediatric and congenital cardiology

Diagnosis and long-term follow-up of babies, children and teenagers with holes in the heart, valve problems, cyanotic heart disease, murmurs and rhythm problems.

02

Echocardiography

A safe, painless heart ultrasound for children and adults, including screening of children with cleft lip and palate, who have a higher chance of heart defects.

03

Cardiology outpatient clinic

Consultations for chest pain, breathlessness, high blood pressure, heart failure, palpitations, rheumatic heart disease and other cardiac concerns.

04 · FREE OF CHARGE

Interventions, surgery and ablation

We perform cardiac interventions ourselves and arrange heart surgery through partner facilities we manage. Every child and adult who needs an intervention, surgery or ablation receives it free. Cath lab procedures are elective and booked in advance.

05

Heart screening programmes

Organised screening for schools, charities and community groups so that heart problems are found early. Contact us to arrange a screening day.

06

Second opinions and referrals

We welcome referrals from other doctors and hospitals, and provide clear written reports for patients seeking care elsewhere.

Cardiac diagnostics

• Advanced paediatric echocardiography
• Stress echocardiography
• Transoesophageal echocardiography
• 12-lead resting ECG
• 24-hour Holter ECG
• Ambulatory blood pressure
• Treadmill exercise test (TMT)

Interventions

• ASD device closure
• PDA device closure
• VSD device closure
• Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV)
• Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV)
• RVOT stent
• DC cardioversion for arrhythmia

ASD

Atrial septal defect

A hole between the two upper chambers of the heart.

VSD

Ventricular septal defect

A hole between the two lower chambers of the heart.

PDA

Patent ductus arteriosus

An open channel between two major blood vessels that should close after birth.

Animation: closing an ASD through a catheter

Device placement under X-ray guidance

Our imaging

GE Vivid S70N cardiac ultrasound

High-quality heart imaging for children and adults, including advanced paediatric echocardiography, stress echo and transoesophageal echo.

Signs your child should see a heart specialist

Blue or grey lips, tongue or skin · fast or laboured breathing, or tiring during feeding · poor weight gain · frequent chest infections · fainting, or chest pain with exercise · a heart murmur found by another doctor.

Severe breathing difficulty or sudden blue colour? Go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

Common questions

Is an echocardiogram safe? Yes. It uses sound waves, not radiation, and does not hurt.

Can newborns be seen? Yes. Paediatric cardiology is our speciality.

Do I pay for a procedure or surgery? No. Interventions, heart surgery and ablation are free for every child and adult who needs them.

Heart Hero Day recognises the children of Somalia who faced heart disease with courage, and the families who stood beside them. It also thanks the paediatricians and referring doctors whose early recognition and referrals put these children on the path to treatment.

More team profiles

Cardiologists, sonographers, nurses and coordinators will be added here with their photos.

Our main partner

HOPE for Little Hearts Foundation

HOPE for Little Hearts Foundation is the main partner of Mogadishu Heart Center. Together we find children with heart disease, treat them without charge, and build the local services that will one day care for every child in Somalia.

259

referred patients treated locally by transcatheter intervention

Up to 300

complex cardiac surgeries abroad

Free

cost to the family for every one of these procedures

Local detection and screening

Echo diagnosis, clinical assessment, case prioritisation and family counselling.

Sponsored surgery abroad

Partner hospitals provide free or sponsored surgery for complex congenital heart disease.

Safe return and follow-up

Discharge summaries, medicines, echo follow-up and continuity of care at home.

Capacity building

Training, data systems, partnerships and step-by-step growth of local services.

Free surgery is not yet free access

Families still face costs around treatment that carries no fee. Your support can cover:

• Medical visas and documents
• Travel for the child and a caregiver
• Accommodation and living costs
• Follow-up after return home

Contact HOPE for Little Hearts Foundation

+252 770105070  /  +252 770104070

[email protected]

Other supporters

Qatar Charity

Hormuud Salaam Foundation

Visiting specialist teams

We welcome visiting cardiac teams from Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, whose skills and training help more patients receive treatment at home.

Mogadishu University

Teaching, research and postgraduate training that help Somalia build its own cardiac workforce.