Gachon University Gil Medical Center invited five Mongolian children with congenital heart disease to undergo free surgery. On Tuesday, the hospital held a ceremony to celebrate their cure.

According to the hospital, Nandingelden, a Mongolian girl who turned five years old this year, was born with congenital heart disease and has already undergone two surgeries in Mongolia. However, her complex heart disease, which included a ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus, could not be cured and required additional surgery. Due to the lack of local medical care and economic conditions, she had to give up the treatment.

However, when Gil Medical Center's medical volunteer team visited Mongolia in April, Nandingelden had an opportunity to receive treatment. As part of the medical support program for Asian exchange cities, the hospital, and Incheon Metropolitan Government have treated children with congenital heart disease locally and invited them to the hospital for surgery.

The hospital’s medical volunteers visited Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from April 18 to 24, selected five children who urgently needed surgery through a detailed heart diagnosis, and invited them to Korea this month.

The five Mongolian children were admitted to Gil Medical Center on June 9 and underwent surgery from June 11 to 16. Nandingelden underwent two surgeries on June 12 and 15. After the surgeries, the children gradually regained their health and prepared for discharge on Tuesday.

The hospital held a small celebration in their rooms before they were discharged. Kim Woo-kyung, the hospital's director, along with the cardiothoracic and pediatric cardiology medical staff, ward nurses, and social work team who operated and treated the children, and Kim Young-shin, director-general of the International Cooperation Bureau in Incheon, attended. Also present were the Milal Heart Foundation and the New Life Movement, which sponsored the treatment.

“There are still many children with congenital heart disease in Asia's underdeveloped countries who need treatment due to poor medical conditions and relatively low health environments,” Gil Medical Center President Kim said. “We will continue our work so that more children can play and grow healthy with our continued interest and love.”