Supporting Universal Newborn Screening for Congenital Heart Disease in Colombia
The Global Health Initiative was established in 2019 with the aim of improving pediatric cardiovascular outcomes in Colombia by facilitating the early diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) conditions in newborns and enhancing access to quality cardiac care. In collaboration with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, this initiative is fully supported through the generous funding by the Larry De George (LDG) Foundation and the Lorena Perozo-Rocha (LPR) Charitable Foundation, based in Barranquilla, Colombia.
This initiative currently works closely with 19 strategically located hospitals, maternity centers, and universities throughout seven regions of northern Colombia to implement universal newborn screening for the early detection and treatment of CHD. The program supports participating sites by training nurses and physicians in the use of donated pulse oximeters and echocardiography equipment and by providing the most up-to-date clinical protocols for CHD screening and echo evaluations.
The program also provides ongoing clinical data and metric reports to all participating sites to ensure they meet optimal levels of screening adoption. As of December 2023, the Global Health Initiative has screened over 100,000 newborns for congenital heart disease. In addition, we have trained 500 physicians and nurses in up-to-date CHD screening techniques.
Improving Access to Tertiary Cardiac Treatment for Colombian Children
The Global Health Initiative is also focused on enhancing tertiary cardiac care services for any diagnosed CHD cases by supporting a ‘hub and spoke’ model of care with key hospital partners in Cartagena and Medellin.
In Cartagena, the program is generously donating a state-of-the-art cardiac interventional lab to the main tertiary children’s hospital in the region, Casa del Nino, to help provide immediate regional access to higher levels of surgical complexity. A ground ambulance will also be donated to help improve regional patient transport for the most critical cases, thereby improving patient outcomes.
ECMO Equipment Donation and ELSO Certification
At Hospital San Vicente Fundación in Medellin, the Foundation has donated lifesaving Extra Corporeal Life Support (ECMO) equipment and provided for the international ELSO certification of the cardiac surgery and clinical team. This program has already measurably raised the hospital’s surgical complexity and helped improve patient outcomes.
Pictured: The ECMO team at Hospital San Vicente Fundación led by Dra. Sonia Morales Echevarria (second from the left).
Interventional Lab Equipment
In Cartagena, the LPR Foundation is generously donating a state-of-the-art cardiac interventional lab equipment to the main tertiary children’s hospital in the region, Casa del Niño, to help provide immediate regional access to higher levels of surgical complexity.
Ground Transportation
A pediatric ground ambulance is also being donated and equipped to help improve regional patient transport for the most critical cases, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Recognition of the Global Health Initiative's Impact in Colombia
The efforts by the Global Health Initiative in improving cardiac screening in newborns were recently recognized by the Colombian Senate, the national pediatric society and press outlets throughout Colombia.
Colombian Senate Recognition of Global Health Initiative - October 5, 2023
Left to Right: Mr. Climaco Molina, Co-Founder, LPR Foundation; Mr. Lawrence De George, Director, LDG & LPR Foundation; Senator Sandra Jaime; Ms. Lorena Perozo, CEO, LPR Foundation; Dr. Andrea Maggioni, Director, Global Health at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital; Dr. Marcos Mestre, Vice-President and CMO, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Colombian Pediatric Society (Sociedad Colombia de Pediatría)
Event to Honor GHI Efforts in Colombia – July 6-8, 2023
Advocating for Universal Detection of Newborn Coronary Artery Disease in Colombia
The Global Health Initiative continues to seek and build support from city and departmental governments to help drive universal screening for newborn congenital heart disease at the local level. GHI recently obtained the commitment from the City of Cartagena and the Bolívar department Secretary of Health to implement universal newborn screening throughout the region’s hospitals and maternity centers. Weekly clinical roundtables have been implemented to ensure its implementation. In the Department of Quindío, we are also working closely with our partners at the Hospital Departamental San Juan de Dios and municipal and regional leadership to help quickly expand the CHD screening program through a “Train the Trainer” program. In the Department of Caldas, we recently met with the president and management team of the Caldas University Hospital in Manizales to look for ways to expand the detection of congenital heart diseases throughout the region.