New Delhi | September 29, 2026: On World Heart Day, Child Heart Foundation (CHF) has announced a year-long commitment to strengthen early detection, timely treatment and medical management for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) across India.

The Foundation has set a target to screen more than 7,000 children and help save more than 1,000 children through timely treatment and medical management by World Heart Day 2027.

According to CHF, more than two lakh children are born with congenital heart disease in India every year, with approximately one in five having a defect serious enough to require an intervention during the first year of life.

“World Heart Day is a day of celebration for us. Every child who was diagnosed in time, treated and is now growing up healthy is the reason we do this work. But thousands of children in India are still born with heart defects that are found too late or never treated. Our pledge this year is to reduce that number. Over the next year, we aim to provide screening to 7,000+ children and help save 1,000+ by providing timely treatment and medical management. No child should have to live with a heart condition that can be treated.”

— Dr Vikas Kohli, Paediatric Cardiologist and Founder Trustee, Child Heart Foundation

Established in 2013, Child Heart Foundation has supported more than 1,300 children in receiving heart treatment and reached over 15,000 children and families through screening and awareness initiatives.

Its JEEVANSH programme provides free fetal echocardiography to support detection of congenital heart defects during pregnancy. Medical camps help identify children with suspected heart disease, while ASHA and Anganwadi workers are trained to recognise early signs and symptoms and strengthen community-level referrals.

Through its Hridya Saksham programme, CHF works with government healthcare facilities by providing echocardiography machines to government district hospitals and training doctors in their use.

The Foundation's 2026–27 commitment is focused on strengthening the continuum of care from awareness and early detection to diagnosis, referral, treatment and follow-up. CHF said its goal is to improve access to timely care for children with treatable heart conditions.