Venereal diseases and poor follow-up of pregnancies are some of the reasons children are born with.

According to medics, one can be victim of cardiovascular diseases through venereal infection by mothers in the early months of pregnancy. Viral infections after birth, poor antenatal care and treatment are also possible causes of heart problems in children.

In order to sensitise the public, the National Electricity Corporation, Eneo, in collaboration with La Société Camerounaise de Cardiologie, organised a press conference in Douala.

The lecture of Dr Félicité Kamdem, a cardiologist with the Douala General Hospital, clearly stated that 8-10 in every 1,000 children in the world are born with heart problems, with 25 percent dying before one month if measures are not taken.

On the other hand, 50 percent need surgery in their childhood, 20 percent are operated when they reach adolescence and 10 percent live normal lives for long before their problems are discovered.

The fact that some children are born with heart problems does not necessarily mean it is hereditary, Dr Félicité pointed out.

Some contract it after birth - for example when throat problems are poorly treated. Symptoms like sinuses, respiratory difficulties, and stunted growth, among others, should be taken seriously, the experts warned.

According to Dr Marie Solange Ndom, preventive measures like reducing cholesterol intake, eating enough fruits and vegetables, doing sports daily, watching television and playing video games for less than an hour daily, are also advisable for adults. Others are avoiding cigarette smoke and alcohol and carrying out routine medical checks.

After revealing that 30 percent of Cameroonians are hypertensive, which is one of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, Eneo’s Medical Adviser, Dr Joseph Dieuboue, added that, Eneo has since 10 years, carried out sensitisation, free screening and trained 505 doctors and nurses on cardiovascular diseases.

This year’s Heart Days on the theme, “A healthy heart for all children is possible everywhere,” and will take the team to 20 schools where 40,000 pupils will be sensitised and screened.

Meanwhile, heart surgery for children ranges from FCFA 3.5 million to FCFA 4.5 million in the Shisong Cardiac Centre in Kumbo in the North West Region; which is much cheaper that what obtains abroad.