A local cardiac team of 26 specialist doctors and nursing staff are performing open heart operations alongside an international of 19 from the Open Heart International team.
A total of 33 cases would have been operated on by today, 22 of which are open heart operations.
11 of those are closed heart operations performed by the local team. The youngest being 8 months old and the oldest, 12.
Eight out of every 1000 children in third level countries are born with cardiac problems or congenital heart defects, a condition that requires surgery for most.
PNG has seen 1,084 children undergo Open heart Operations in the last 25 years, conducted by the Open Heart International team from Australia and Singapore.
Cardiothoracic surgeon and surgery coordinator, Dr Noah Tapaua, says the aim is to localize program by 2020.
Over the years, the team has trained locals, seeing a decrease in the international team traveling in.
Open Heart International Project Coordinator Dr Darren Wolfers says heart disease is still the number one killer in the world, mainly because it’s hidden unlike other diseases.
For his team, it’s not about the number of cases they operate on, but the skill transfer.
Among the children operated on since Sunday, two adults had pace makers inserted in their hearts.