More and more children are born with heart disease due to a poor follow-up of pregnancy.

Generally, these pathologies are unfortunately ignored by parents who are not sufficiently sensitized on the issue.

Heart Diseases in children can also come from poorly treated angina, high consumption of sweets and fatty foods, lack of exercise, consumption of alcohol and smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, among others.

As part of the third edition of the Heart Day, the Cameroonian Society of Cardiology (CSC) whose initiatives were initially geared towards adults for several years, have decided to look into the case of children who are just as vulnerable as older people.

This explains the descent of a strong medical team on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at the Ecole Publique de New-Bell Bassa in the 2nd District of Douala. During a tour in the classrooms of primary and nursery school establishment to explain the causes and methods of prevention of heart diseases to the children, they proceeded to auscultation of nearly 1500 students of this school to attempt to identify cases of cardiac abnormality.

“When a symptom is detected, we send them to one of our colleagues in another room with an ultrasound device to examine the children. When the cardiac ultrasound is performed and a defect is confirmed, we push our investigations further and we see how to provide support,” explained Dr. Armel Djomou, a Cardiologist.

This operation outreach and screening for heart disease in children takes place simultaneously in all 10 regions of Cameroon. It is one of the major activities of the 3rd edition of the days of the heart, which began on Monday, September 21, 2015. The organizers of this event supported by Eneo Cameroon also increase awareness through media campaigns.

A march dubbed ‘The 10 kilometres from the heart’ will also be organised in all 10 regions of Cameroon to mark the end of the activities. That of Douala, economic capital of Cameroon, will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2015. According to experts, hypertension affects about three Cameroonians every day.

“30% of Cameroonian adults suffer from hypertension. Today, we can say that cardiovascular diseases — heart attacks, stroke and diabetes are the leading cause of mortality in Cameroon. Currently, it is a situation which is quite alarming and that baffles us,” warned Dr. Armel Djomou.