The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Bernice Owen‑Jones, has presented charity donations of more than GH¢135,000 from the Melbourne Cup Charity Ball to the Children’s Heart Foundation Ghana to support children living with congenital heart conditions.
The donation was made on behalf of the Australian High Commission Social Club and will help fund life‑saving open‑heart surgeries for underprivileged Ghanaian children diagnosed with structural heart defects present from birth.
The gesture strengthens bilateral ties between Ghana and Australia by showcasing a commitment to humanitarian cooperation, child welfare, and community development. It exemplifies how diplomatic missions can foster goodwill and mutual understanding by addressing local needs, complementing traditional government-to-government relations with tangible, life-changing support for vulnerable populations.
Congenital heart disease is one of the most common birth conditions worldwide, affecting about 1–2 per cent of all live births, and often requires surgical intervention to improve survival and quality of life. In Ghana and across sub‑Saharan Africa, access to specialised paediatric cardiac care is limited, and many affected children do not receive timely diagnosis or treatment.
At some major hospitals in Ghana, such as Korle‑Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, congenital heart defects are regularly diagnosed in infants and young children. Early screening studies in Accra show that systematic pulse oximetry screening can identify heart defects in about 0.33 per cent of newborns, including critical cases requiring urgent attention, underscoring the importance of early detection.
The Children’s Heart Foundation Ghana has played a key role in helping families afford costly surgeries. In previous years, the Foundation paid for the heart surgeries of hundreds of children, with records showing over 200 children assisted through donor funding.
At the presentation, officials from the Foundation expressed gratitude for the Australian donation, noting that each surgical case can cost tens of thousands of cedis, a sum many families cannot afford without external support. The funds will go directly toward covering surgery, pre‑operative care, and post‑surgical follow‑up.
The Australian High Commission emphasised that this initiative reflects Australia’s broader people‑centred engagement in Ghana, where development partnerships extend beyond formal diplomacy to address pressing social and health challenges.
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