An initiative for children launched

Save A Child's Heart (SACH) was launched in Tamil Nadu for providing cardiac treatment to underprivileged children.

With the aim of saving one child per day, a "Save A Child's Heart" (SACH) initiative has been launched in Tamil Nadu jointly by Apollo Hospitals and Madras Round Table 1.

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SACH aims at providing cardiac and cardio thoracic treatment for under privileged children born with heart diseases.

Launching the programme in Chennai on Tuesday night, State Electricity Minister, Arcot N Veerasamy, said he was ready to donate one month's salary for the cause and sought liberal aid from others.

Lauding the initiative, he asked doctors and experts to offer free consultation to poor patients and appealed to philanthropists to support such initiatives.

Chief Cardiovascular Surgeon of Apollo Hospitals Dr MR Girinath said, between three to eight children per 1000 births were born with congenital heart defects and two-thirds of them die before the first year.

Referring to the exorbitant cost of treatment, he said insurance companies should be persuaded to remove the clause on congenital diseases so that under privileged children could take treatment for heart ailments.

Madras Round Table 1 Chairman PP Prashant and Apollo Group's Finance Director Suneeta Reddy also spoke on the occasion.