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April 29th, 2025 ― Doha, Qatar: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has announced the conclusion of the Little Hearts medical convoy in Bangladesh, implemented in partnership with Sidra Medicine, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Dhaka, and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health (MOH).
During the project, 125 life-saving cardiac catheterizations were performed for children with congenital heart defects, in addition to examining and diagnosing hundreds of other patients, bringing the total number of Little Hearts convoys implemented by QRCS in Bangladesh since 2018 to six.
NICVD was provided with the necessary medical equipment and supplies to perform operations, enabling the medical workers to efficiently perform delicate cardiac interventions. The convoy program also involved practical training for local medical staff, to enhance transfer of expertise, strengthen the capacity of Bangladesh’s health care system, and ensure sustainability in specialized medical services for children in the future.
On the last day of the project, an official honoring ceremony was held by BDRCS. The organization’s president recognized the volunteering medical delegation from Sidra Medicine and QRCS’s mission, praising their outstanding humanitarian efforts throughout the project. He emphasized the importance of such kind of specialized medical cooperation, which makes a real difference in the lives of children and vulnerable communities.
Eng. Mohamed Thabet Safi, head of QRCS’s mission in Bangladesh, stated, “The project marks another significant humanitarian milestone in our field work. Thanks to our effective partnership with all stakeholders, we managed to provide advanced medical interventions that helped save the lives of children and alleviate the suffering of their families”.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Sidra Medicine for allowing their highly specialized doctors to join us, to BDRCS for their field support and coordination, and to NICVD for their hospitality and technical input,” he added. “Special thanks go to Qatar’s Embassy in Bangladesh for their constant support and facilitations throughout the project. The local doctors and nurses played a vital role, working side by side with the Qatari delegation. Their exceptional professionalism and humanitarian dedication were crucial to the success of the convoy”.
QRCS’s mission in Bangladesh held a special honoring ceremony for the volunteering medical delegation, attended by HE Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani, Qatar’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, who valued the delegation’s humanitarian efforts to save the lives of children with congenital heart defects.
During the ceremony, Mr. Al-Qahtani praised the fruitful cooperation between QRCS, BDRCS, and Sidra Medicine, considering that such initiatives reflect Qatar’s unwavering commitment to supporting the most vulnerable communities and backing the health care systems in partner countries.
Mohamed Khalifa Al-Musallam, from the Qatari Embassy in Bangladesh, visited NICVD to inspect the project’s progress. He was briefed on the procedures and talked to the Qatari medical delegation from Sidra Medicine. During the honoring ceremony for the local medical workers, he gave certificates of appreciation to the doctors and nurses who had a key role in the success of medical procedures.
Mr. Al-Musallam met the children treated under the project and presented flowers and sweets to them. This nice gesture was warmly welcomed by the children and their parents.
The Embassy of Qatar in Bangladesh always support humanitarian and health projects funded and/or implemented by Qatari humanitarian organizations, which represents Qatar’s message of international humanitarian solidarity.
Professor Younes Boudjemline, head of delegation and senior consultant cardiologist at Sidra Medicine, felt proud of this project.
“It was my honor to lead a team of highly qualified medical professionals on this important humanitarian initiative,” said Prof. Boudjemline. “The children were in dire need of specialized cardiology care. Thanks to the combined efforts of all partners, we were able to make their lives better. This initiative indicates how deep the partnership between Sidra Medicine and QRCS is. It testifies to our shared responsibility of providing humanitarian health care”.