Lao and Chinese heart specialists at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane.

Children undergo heart treatment under China-Laos partnership

Four children with congenital heart disease have successfully received specialised, minimally invasive heart treatment at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane, under the second paediatric cardiac mission of the Mekong Children’s Heart Care Project.
The two-day mission, held on October 28-29, saw medical specialists from China and Laos provide life-saving treatment to children while strengthening local medical capacity to manage congenital heart conditions.
The Director General of Mahosot Hospital, Dr Souxath Vongphachanh, highlighted the importance of cooperation between Chinese and Lao medical experts in expanding access to specialised cardiac treatment for children in Laos.
The procedures were carried out through close collaboration between specialists from Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and medical professionals from Mahosot Hospital. The mission also involved the Head of the Department of Structural Heart Disease at Fuwai Yunnan Hospital, Dr Cheng Wang.
During the mission, six children with congenital heart disease underwent medical examinations. Four of them – three girls and one boy, aged between 1 and 17 – received minimally invasive, catheter-based heart interventions on October 29. The children came from Vientiane, Vientiane province and Xiengkhouang province. The remaining two children will be referred to Fuwai Hospital in China for further surgical treatment.
Beyond providing treatment, the mission provided training in medical procedures and practical skills to Lao healthcare professionals, particularly concerning transcatheter defect-closure techniques. This will help strengthen Laos’ capacity to diagnose and treat children with congenital heart disease.
The four children who received treatment will undergo follow-up care and monitoring to support their recovery and long-term health.
The project has also helped reduce the financial burden on families who might otherwise struggle to afford specialised cardiac treatment.
A mother of one of the children treated during the mission expressed her gratitude for the support, saying it had made a significant difference to her family.
“We are very grateful to the project for making this support possible. Our family does not have a high income, so the assistance helped us save a great deal on medical expenses,” she said.
“More importantly, it gave my daughter a better chance of a healthy future and gave us greater peace of mind. We are truly thankful for this opportunity.” 
This second mission represents another milestone for the Mekong Children’s Heart Care Project, which aims to provide cardiac treatment to 30 children in Laos and 40 in Cambodia.
Further screening and medical missions are planned for the third week of November in Oudomxay province to identify and support more children in need of specialised cardiac care.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update November 6, 2026)