Pattern of Congenital Heart Diseases in Delta State University Teaching Hospital; Oghara; Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart diseases (CHD) when detected in primary or secondary health care levels are almost always referred to the tertiary hospitals where more competent diagnostic evaluation is carried out. The burden of the CHDs is enormous to the patient; parents and the health sector since the facilities for definitive surgical interventions are not readily available in Nigeria resulting in indefinite conservative palliative management for those who cannot afford such surgical interventions abroad. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective study is to determine the pattern of the CHDs presenting to Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH); Oghara; a major tertiary care referral centre for the entire Delta State of Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Outpatient and inpatient cases of all CHDs at DELSUTH; OGHARA were determined and the pattern of presentation with respect to age; sex; type of CHD; as confirmed to echocardiography were analyzed from November 2010 to February 2012. RESULTS:A total of 18 cases were seen in DELSUTH; Oghara. Ages at presentation were from 3 months to 9 years; males were 10 (55.6) and Females 8 (44.4). Thirteen of the eighteen CHD patients (72) presented in complications that required immediate admission for in patient care

Children's Heart Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenging the Burden of Disease

Children with heart disease in Africa have little or no access to treatment of any kind; and cardiac surgical services are virtually absent outside a handful of centres in a few of the wealthier nations. There is little reliable data concerning the prevalence of congenital or acquired heart disease in African children; but there is sufficient information to indicate that the burden of cardiac disease is vast. This major non-communicable disease is largely hidden; overshadowed by the incidence of communicable diseases. There is as yet little evidence of the hoped-for epidemiological transition toward non-communicable diseases amongst children in Africa. The burden of congenital heart disease is only part of the problem; with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remaining the commonest cardiac problem; related to poor socioeconomic conditions. RHD is the most preventable form of cardiac disease; yet there is little preventive work being done. The many obstacles to developing paediatric cardiac care are discussed; and some possible ways forward are proposed