CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 33, No 3, May/June 2022 126 AFRICA assistance of families and friends and even strangers (through an online appeal for funds) in the pursuit of surgical intervention for their children. Conclusion Nigeria is the most populous nation on the African continent with a population of over 200 million and a huge burden of CHD. Annually 70 000 babies with CHD are born in Nigeria.30 The current healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria is unable to cope with the care and treatment of this large number of children with CHD,30 thus denying these innocent children a chance at life. We seize this opportunity to implore the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria to fund the treatment of all patients with CHD. In addition, we appeal to the Ministry to establish centres of excellence in paediatric cardiology in the six geo-political zones of the country where children with CHD can access quality care and treatment at no cost and without delay. References 1. 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