Rwandans have been urged to live healthy lifestyles in order to prevent suffering from heart diseases.

The call was made by Dr Joseph Mucumbitsi, a Cardiologist at King Faisal Hospital yesterday, while receiving seven children who arrived from India where they underwent free heart surgery. The successful operations were carried out through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Rotary India. Eight other patients are yet to return. Another eight will also be taken to India for surgery. 

Dr Mucumbitsi said that some of the heart defects are caused by poor health lifestyles like lack of exercising and some of the unhealthy lifestyles that put one at a higher risk of getting a heart defect. 

"We are always encouraging people to fight against heart diseases through living healthy lifestyles and exercising regularly. It is a concerted effort spearheaded by the Ministry of Health,” Dr. Mucumbitsi told The New Times.  

He said most of the children who were referred to India for surgery were not born with heart diseases even though there are some inborn heart diseases that may be difficult to prevent. 

One of the children that returned, Joas Nshimiyimana from Ruhango district said he had suffered from heart attacks since 2003.

The seven children who returned from India are part of 15 children that were taken for surgery. Eight other sare still in India waiting to undergo heart surgery while eight others will be selected to leave for New Delhi for heart operations soon.

Josiane Uwiringiyimana, a mother of a 19 months old baby who was also operated on successfully,  thanked the government for the support.