An estimated 130,000 to 270,000 babies are born in India each year with congenital heart disease. This was disclosed at a symposium on 'Perioperative Care for Congenital Heart Disease', held at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS). Of this, nearly 80,000 newborn and infants would require heart surgery during each year in India, according to a communique from AIMS.

It was stated that since heart surgery on these small children was extremely challenging only few hospitals in India have ventured into this field.

The conference, attended by nearly 80 cardiac surgeons, anaestheologists and other health professionals taking care of children with heart disease from all over India, focused on a variety of issues relating to the care of children before and after heart operations. Dr Stephen Roth from the children's hospital in Boston participated.

During the last four years, over 2,500 heart operations have been performed on children at AIMS, according to the communiqué.