43 children screened for heart issues in Rabaul

A child going through heart screening at Nonga General Hospital in Rabaul, East New Britain *(Image: Supplied)*

Forty-three children aged between three months and 20 years were screened during a two-day cardiac clinic in Rabaul, marking the largest turnout in the region for the National Cardiac Screening Flying Doctors Program.

The two-day visit to Nonga General Hospital by the Operation Open Heart Foundation [OOHF] team concluded the program’s 2026 calendar.

Out of the 43 patients assessed, 13 were cleared of heart issues, while seven have been put forward for discussions regarding potential open-heart surgery.

Nonga General Hospital Paediatrician in Charge, Dr Veronica Kalit, said clinical diagnoses provided critical pathways for young patients requiring surgery.

"We see them, we diagnose them clinically, but to get a definite diagnosis is helpful, because then you have cases that can actually go for operation," Dr Kalit said. "Every year we have two to four patients that go and have heart operations, and it makes a difference so they can go on to live normal lives."

Six children were diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot [ToF], a congenital heart defect present from birth that restricts oxygen flow to the body and causes patients to turn blue.

Dr Kalit said ToF cases were surprisingly common in the area, adding that surgical treatment for the condition is no longer available in Papua New Guinea. This leaves overseas medical travel as the only option for affected families, many of whom cannot afford it.

A medical officer assisting during the screening process *(Image: Supplied)*

Senior Paediatrician at Port Moresby General Hospital, Dr Diana Olita’a, who conducted the screening, urged parents and health workers to watch for warning signs rather than mistaking them for routine chest infections.

"A child who is small for age, breathless, easily tired, frequently blue, or has difficulty feeding may have a heart problem," Dr Olita’a said. "They should get their hearts checked."

The medical team also flagged cases of pulmonary hypertension, a severe condition involving high blood pressure in the arteries between the heart and lungs. Left undiagnosed, conditions like ToF, Ventricular Septal Defect [VSD], Atrial Septal Defect [ASD], or Patent Ductus Arteriosus [PDA] can lead to irreversible damage to lung blood vessels.

Travel costs and long distances remain a major barrier to follow-up care for families in East New Britain and across the country.

"The distance they have to travel, the number of buses they have to get on, and the money spent becomes a hindrance," Dr Kalit said.

Despite the challenges, three post-operative patients returned for review during the clinic - two after PDA ligation and one following ASD repair - and were reported to be thriving.

The foundation acknowledged Air Niugini, BSP Limited, the Sir Brian Bell Foundation, and the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority for supporting the regional screening program.