As part of the ongoing efforts of Monaco Collectif Humanitaire (MCH), two young children suffering from serious heart conditions, previously deemed inoperable in their home countries, have recently undergone successful surgery at the Cardio-Thoracic Centre of Monaco. Mia, a two-year-old from Burundi, and Fayah, aged nine from Madagascar, arrived in the Principality two weeks ago with the help of the charity Aviation Sans Frontières.
Upon arrival, they were warmly welcomed and cared for by volunteer host families organised by the Monaco Red Cross. At the Cardio-Thoracic Centre, one of MCH’s key partners since its creation in 2008, the children received expert medical attention from highly specialised surgical teams.
Today, 90% of the operations supported by MCH are carried out directly in the partner countries. However, Burundi currently lacks the surgical infrastructure required to treat cardiac conditions, and Madagascar is only just beginning to perform open-heart procedures. As a result, hosting children in Monaco for treatment remains essential for cases like those of Mia and Fayah.
To mark this latest medical milestone, MCH held a special gathering on Thursday 24 July, bringing together some of its core supporters. Among the contributors was Children & Future, the collective’s principal donor. Monaco Aide et Présence (MAP) also reaffirmed its long-standing support through an annual donation. AMADE, which recently enabled the launch of a new programme to strengthen the skills of healthcare workers in MCH’s partner countries in collaboration with the organisation SHARE, was also present. Joining them was Amitié Sans Frontières Internationale, which recently organised a fundraising sports tournament to help finance cardiac surgeries in Monaco.
Despite the generosity of these contributions, the collective continues to actively seek further funding, as the need for life-saving operations remains significant. Since its founding, Monaco Collectif Humanitaire has enabled more than 630 children to receive the critical care they could not otherwise access in their home countries.
Donations can be made by cheque or bank transfer via the official website: www.mch.mc.
