In collaboration with Somalia's Ministry of Health (MOH), the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched the "Little Hearts" medical convoy, aimed at performing cardiac catheterizations for 70 children suffering from congenital heart defects at the Somali Sudanese Specialized Hospital (SSSH) in Mogadishu. The initiative is carried out by volunteer medical staff from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Sidra Medicine.

The inauguration ceremony for the convoy was attended by HE Maryam Mohamed Hussein, Somali Minister of State for Health, along with representatives from various humanitarian organizations. The project, costing over QR 952,000, aims to evaluate 200 children with heart issues, selecting 70 for therapeutic cardiac catheterizations.

As part of the convoy's action plan, a two-day capacity-building workshop was held for physicians and nurses on Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) basics, with the participation of 170 local medical professionals. This workshop, in partnership with the Somali MOH and the Somali Medical Association, focused on improving the care for critical pediatric cases.

In the first four days of the convoy's operations, 35 successful cardiac catheterizations were performed, achieving a 100% success rate, even in complex cases requiring extensive procedures. Among the beneficiaries was a 17-day-old infant born with a rare congenital heart defect.