Cardiothoracics - Haneen Hajra

 Cardiothoracics

Haneen Hajra 

Cardiothoracic health is often viewed through the lens of advanced surgical techniques, cutting edge technology and major hospital systems. But for millions of people around the world, especially children, cardiac disease begins long before they even touch an operating room. I learned this earlier than most. I developed rheumatic carditis, an inflammatory heart condition that quietly reshaped my life long before I even understood what “cardiothoracic” meant. 

What stuck with me wasn’t the diagnosis itself but how easily it could have been missed. In many countries, it is missed. Rheumatic heart diseases, caused by untreated strep infections, remains one of the world’s most preventable cardiovascular killers. But, it still affects more than 40 million people globally and claims hundreds of thousands of lives every year. Most are young. Most live in places where basic antibiotics and early diagnosis are not guaranteed and are considered a rare privilege. 

My own experience made me aware of something uncomfortable. The outcome of a heart condition should not be based on geographic luck. Access to early antibiotics and echocardiography should never be limited to resourced settings. While cardiothoracic surgery saves lives, global health efforts have to focus on prevention, detection and equitable access long before surgical intervention becomes the only option.

Cardiothoracic health isn’t just a specialty, it’s a reminder of how uneven global health care still is. My diagnosis shaped my perspective, but it also strengthened my belief that no child should face heart complications because their healthcare didn’t catch it on time. 

Meet the Author:

Haneen Hajra is a sophomore in the Global Ecology Magnet Program at Poolesville High School. Her work focuses on examining global challenges through a human centered lens and using personal experience to help highlight overlooked issues in health and equity around the world.