Chinese Red Cross aids CHD children in Afghanistan

KABUL - A Chinese Red Cross foreign aid medical team has carried out screening for the children with congenial heart disease (CHD) in Afghan capital of Kabul to register eligible kids for providing them with medical treatment.

It was the latest in China's aid to the war-torn country.

The team marked the launch of a practical start of "Angels Tour -- Belt and Road Humanitarian Rescue Afghanistan Action for Children with Severe Diseases" in an Afghan private hospital, Kabul Royal Hospital, Sun Shuopeng, head of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) project, told Xinhua Saturday morning.

Under the initiative, the Chinese Red Cross will take CHD children who are screened in accordance with surgical indications in batches to China to receive free surgical treatment.

"We've already organized 50 children suffering congenital heart disease (CHD) to do the check and in cooperation with Chinese medical institutions, Chinese experts, the Afghan Red Crescent Society and the Chinese embassy to send some of them to China for treatment first," said Sun.

The program is expected to provide free medical treatment for around 100 children suffering from CHD at the first phase in Afghanistan, Sun said.

The figure provided by the Afghan Red Crescent Society indicates that nearly 7,000 Afghan children with congenital heart disease are waiting for treatment with urgent humanitarian needs.