Background

Ethiopia is located in the North-Eastern part of Africa widely known as “THE HORN OF AFRICA.”

Out of Ethiopia’s estimated population of 75,000,000, 48% are under the age of 15. Malnutrition, luck of immunization, communicable diseases etc. are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the country. Though the relative percentage is small, the number of children suffering from congenital and acquired heart diseases is substantial. With the prevailing birth rate of 2.9% per year and an estimated incidence of 6-8/1000 live births, Ethiopia is likely to have 50,000 children born with congenital heart disease every year. Acquired heart disease and in particular Rheumatic Heart Disease is believed to be quite common in Ethiopia (as it is in most developing countries) and we estimate up to 60,000 children to develop acquired heart disease every year.

Fully appreciating the magnitude of other genuine priorities, cardiac services are unlikely to be funded by the government in the foreseeable future. Aware of the facts, that surgical treatment for heart disease, wherever available; is expensive and hence unaffordable by most. Cognizant of these facts, few concerned Ethiopians took the initiative of establishing (CHFE) as an NGO. CHFE is committed to helping children with heart disease and had established clearly defined immediate, intermediate and long term missions & objectives. CHFE has taken this responsibility trusting in the good will of individuals, groups and agencies; both within and outside country. In this regard, CHFE is proud to announce that its confidence and trust in the goodwill of fellow human beings was well founded. Accordingly, CHFE has fulfilled its immediate and intermediate objectives commendably and continues to do so.

Encouraged by its success and the positive response it received from within and out side the country; CHFE has now embarked upon its long term objective i.e. the establishment of a Cardiac Center. This entails the following: (1) the construction of the building (2) the acquisition of medical equipment required to ran a Cardiac Center (3) having the necessary trained manpower and (4) ensuring the long term sustainability of the Center.

CHFE has not only successfully completed construction of the building, but has enough equipment in place that will enable it become operational.
Accordingly, CHFE has treated the first few patients in the second week of January 2009.
To this end, contributions made by the Ethiopian people at large and in particular Patron Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Alamudi has been exemplary. When it comes to sourcing equipment, the role played by the Chain of Hope-UK, Project Cure, and Healing the Children is most appreciated. Again here the contribution of Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Alamudi was equally important.
By way of equipment, however, CHFE has a long way to go and assistance in this regard will be appreciated. Training of manpower is also being launched both within and outside the country and we hope to see the fruits of this undertaking in the first Four to Six years.
The next very important item to be considered is ensuring sustainability. To this end, the Addis Ababa administration region has donated a 2300 meter square plot of land. The design of three apartment and office complexes, picture shown below, for fund generation has been completed.

Construction permit obtained and what is left is to start breaking ground.

"WE MEND BROKEN HEARTS!"

Cardiac Center - Ethiopia (CCE)
Telephone: +251-115-524967 P.O.Box: 2382, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia