Israeli team trains Zambia's first pediatric cardiac surgeons, performs 10 surgeries

A team of Israeli pediatric cardiac specialists has completed a mission in Zambia, significantly advancing the country's capacity to treat children with heart conditions. The initiative, part of a long-standing cooperative program, focused on training Zambian medical professionals and performing life-saving surgeries.

During their week-long mission at the National Heart Hospital in Lusaka, the surgeons and nurses from Save a Child's Heart (SACH) at Israel's Wolfson Medical Center assisted in 10 pediatric open-heart surgeries. Among the patients was 9-year-old Richard Mbimbi, who underwent surgery for rheumatic heart disease. His father expressed gratitude, stating, "My son is good. The Zambian and Israeli doctors helped save the life of my child."

“

My son is good. The Zambian and Israeli doctors helped save the life of my child.

The mission also involved mentoring the hospital's pediatric cardiac unit staff and doctors from neighboring Tanzania. A key development was the donation of a new $200,000 LivaNova S-5 heart-lung machine, crucial for cardiac surgery. This machine is only the second of its kind in Zambia, a country of 22.5 million people that previously lacked any pediatric cardiac surgeons.

This collaboration, part of a $3 million program between SACH and Zambia since 2007, aims to strengthen local medical expertise. The mission deepens relations between Zambia and Israel, which reopened its embassy in Lusaka in August 2025. Dr. Zakias Moonde Muulu, a Zambian pediatric heart surgeon completing his fellowship in Israel, expressed hope for the country's children, noting, "Zambia has many, many children who are suffering from heart conditions, and this brings a lot of hope to our children."

“

Zambia has many, many children who are suffering from heart conditions, and this brings a lot of hope to our children.