The Emirates Red Crescent announced this week that its Nahr Al Hayat Fund covered the costs of life-saving cardiac treatment for 25 children from the Union of the Comoros at specialised facilities in India. According to the organisation, the young patients were selected for advanced surgical interventions to address congenital heart defects that could not be treated locally. The programme included travel, accommodation and follow-up care for the children and their families, Emirates News Agency reported. The initiative reflects ongoing collaboration between Emirati humanitarian teams and Indian medical centres experienced in paediatric cardiology.
Emirates Red Crescent figures show the fund has reached children in the Comoros through previous medical camps and direct treatment referrals since its establishment. In one such effort earlier this year, a screening programme in nearby Zanzibar examined around 250 children for similar conditions with complex cases directed to India for surgery. The latest support for the 25 Comorian patients adds to these cross-border health programmes coordinated with local authorities in the region.
A May 2026 Emirates Red Crescent assessment found that the Nahr Al Hayat Fund has expanded its activities to 10 countries since launching in 2023. The fund has provided surgeries and comprehensive healthcare services that benefited more than 3,000 children across the UAE, Jordan, Bangladesh, India, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Comoros and other locations. These efforts have focused on conditions requiring delicate medical procedures often unavailable in patients’ home nations.
Emirates Red Crescent data places the total number of open-heart surgeries facilitated by the fund at 231 to date. The organisation has also overseen 532 additional surgeries in various specialities along with 395 eye operations. Further support has included medicines and supplies for 375 children of determination, 1,095 pairs of spectacles and treatment for 374 children in other categories.
The fund has built partnerships with paediatric hospitals and assembled networks of volunteer medical professionals to sustain its operations, according to an Emirates Red Crescent statement. Similar camps organised in Comoros have identified children in need of urgent care and arranged transfers when necessary. All activities proceed under coordination with health ministries in beneficiary countries to ensure appropriate case selection and continuity of care.
Emirates News Agency archives document prior UAE-backed medical outreach in the Comoros that included diagnostic services and treatment referrals through the same fund. These programmes have targeted paediatric populations facing limited access to advanced cardiac expertise. The Nahr Al Hayat Fund continues to allocate resources for both in-country support and international referrals based on assessed medical needs.
