From 29 June to 7 July 2026 clinicians from National Heart Foundation and Research Institute (NHFRI) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, conducted an observational training visit to Leeds Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Shamsuddin, Dr Prodip Biswas and Dr. Abu Talha from Dhaka have spent time observing Leeds Children’s Hospital cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, intensivists and other specialist colleagues, led by Mr Osama Jaber (Consultant Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgeon).
The visit is part of a longstanding Children’s HeartLink partnership between Leeds Children’s Hospital and the National Heart Foundation (NHF). The charity Children’s HeartLink works internationally to improve access to high quality heart care for children with congenital heart disease.
The goal of the observational training visit was to provide the NHF clinicians with the opportunity to observe clinical excellence in paediatric cardiac care including a multidisciplinary team approach to care and clinical best practices. The visit will also provide the NHF clinicians with the opportunity to further expand their skills and abilities through deep-dive exposure, observation, and discussions with Leeds counterparts in their respective sub-specialties.
Over four years, this partnership has included ten in-person training exchanges. Together, the teams are working on growing skills in the operating room, intensive care unit and pre/post operative ward, strengthening CPR, bedside care and surgical techniques.
Teams in Leeds and Dhaka also meet virtually for monthly for case discussions and virtual nursing sessions. This partnership has also been vital in engaging national stakeholders in assessing current paediatric and congenital heart services and planning for future development.
Adraina Dobrzycka (Children’s HeartLink Country Director for Bangladesh, Malaysia and Vietnam) joined the visit:
‘The goal is to support the National Heart Foundation and Research Institute in becoming a Children’s HeartLink Center of Excellence and a regional training hub for paediatric cardiac clinicians. This initiative helps strengthen their skills to help expand paediatric heart care in the country and ensure more children receive the lifesaving treatment they need’
Mr Osama Jaber hosted the visitors in Leeds:
‘It has been a pleasure to welcome our counterparts from Dhaka this week and share this time with them. We have been able to share some of what we’re most proud of here at Leeds Children’s Hospital. It has also been immensely rewarding to see the remarkable progress the NHF team has made over the course of our partnership. We are proud to have played a small part in supporting the development of their congenital cardiac programme and look forward to continuing to strengthen this collaboration in the years ahead’