A Population Health Approach to Address the Burden of Congenital Heart Disease in Kerala, India

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) has emerged as a leading contributor to infant mortality in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We report early results of a population health program for CHD, implemented in the state of Kerala, India. Objective: Report on early results of a population-based program implementation in a LMIC to reduce mortality from CHD. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the results of an innovative population-based program to address CHD. We devised, implemented and evaluated measures in the care continuum to address deficiencies in CHD care in Kerala, India, through structured capacity building initiatives that enabled early detection, prompt stabilization and expedited referral to a tertiary center. A comprehensive web-based application enabled real-time case registration, prioritization of treatment referrals, and tracking every child registered with CHD. Advanced pediatric heart care was delivered through a public-private partnership. Results: Early identification, referral, and treatment of infants with CHD were improved. The web-based application, ‘Hridyam,’ registered 502 cases in 2017 (Aug–Dec), 2190 in 2018 and 3259 in 2019; infants Conclusion: We demonstrate successful implementation of a population-based and real-time approach to reduce CHD mortality. We speculate that Hridyam has contributed to the observed decline in Kerala’s IMR from 12 to 7 between 2016 and 2019. This model has potential applications for other conditions, and in other jurisdictions, especially LMICs considering building CHD capacity.