Introduction

In today’s age of social media and greater connectedness in the internet age, our hearts still remain disconnected. True connection remains a vital yet often missing element, particularly when it is required for addressing global challenges. This is especially evident in the management of congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common congenital condition worldwide.

While epidemiological studies suggest that about 1% of all live births are affected by CHD, the realistic truth in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is far more ominous due to the significant impact of higher fertility rates, effects of social determinants on fetal health, relatively high rates of missed diagnoses at birth, and unaccounted deaths in early life.

For example, birth rates in LMICs average about 22 per 1000 population as compared to 10 per 1000 population in high-income countries. Approximately 90% of children with CHD are born in LMICs and they lack access to appropriate medical or surgical care.

Despite the disproportionately larger numbers of children born with CHD in underdeveloped countries, many with complex CHD tragically do not survive their first year, while others with less severe heart defects lack access to necessary treatment and chronically succumb to their disease.

Although countries like Lebanon, India, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, or Nigeria may have achieved some degree of success in establishing specialized programs for CHD surgery, these programs appear unlikely to be scalable or sustainable. One high-volume program currently delivering care to large numbers of children with CHD may provide a sustainable and scalable model through sustained societal support, frugal innovation, standardized approaches, as well as cohesive, collaborative networks.

Numerous non-profit organizations around the globe are dedicated to addressing this critical need through various humanitarian efforts. However, these dedicated groups often operate independently, leading to piecemeal and duplicated efforts and an overall diminished capacity to maximize patient care delivery – a crucial aspect of our collective moral and fiscal responsibility.

Global Heart Network (GHN)

To overcome this fragmentation and to foster a more unified approach, the Global Heart Network (GHN) was inaugurated at the Global Congenital Heart Disease Conference held at Stanford University in November 2024. This worldwide initiative was inspired by the vision of Professor Afksendiyos Kalangos and supported by the Kalangos Foundation.

The conference featured a distinguished panel of international speakers, including leading cardiac surgeons and cardiologists specializing in CHD surgery from Argentina, Africa, Fiji Islands, Greece, Germany, India, Lebanon, Turkey, UK, and USA.

Various non-profit organizations represented at this conference included the Kalangos Foundation (Greece), German African Heart Forum (Germany), Sri Sathya Sai Health and Education Trust (India), Brave Heart Fund (Lebanon), Novick Cardiac Alliance (USA), Children’s HeartLink (USA), Healing Little Hearts Fund (UK), Saloni Heart Foundation (USA), and the Prashanthi Balamandira Trust (India).

This conference succeeded in bringing together the congenital heart disease community under a shared vision and common purpose.

Technology & Vision

Coordination efforts for the GHN initiative will be spearheaded by a patient-centric, smartphone-enabled mobile application with worldwide reach. This platform will serve as a beacon of hope for CHD patients and their families, with multilingual accessibility to integrate global efforts.

Beyond the technological platform, GHN aims to unite non-governmental organizations, hospitals, healthcare networks, specialists, and family support groups. Through Artificial Intelligence, the system will guide families from diagnosis to treatment by connecting them with appropriate healthcare providers without financial burden.

The platform will also support adult CHD patients, ensuring comprehensive care across all age groups.

Conclusion

Just as many individual rivers converge to form the vast ocean, unified efforts within the Global Heart Network will create a powerful force to advocate for and treat millions suffering from congenital heart disease worldwide.

The Awareness journal serves as a scholarly platform to explore causes, treatments, and innovations in CHD care, while documenting real-life patient experiences. It aims to improve quality of care, expand treatment options, and celebrate global healthcare collaboration.

This initiative reflects a commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality healthcare regardless of geographical or financial barriers.

Additional Information

Patents: None.

Supplementary Materials: None.

Author Contributions: Both authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Funding: N/A

Institutional Review Board Statement: N/A

Informed Consent Statement: N/A

Data Availability Statement: N/A

Acknowledgments: We sincerely acknowledge all individuals and organizations who contributed to establishing the Global Heart Network.

Conflicts of Interest: None.