For some Zimbabwe children with heart disease, a rare lifeline restores hope

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Tubes snaked across 3-year-old Gracious Chikova’s bandaged chest in the intensive care unit of a government hospital in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Just a day earlier, surgeons had opened her tiny heart to repair a defect that threatened her life. Now she sipped a drink from a syringe, her mother anxiously watching her every breath.

“I had given up. Those with money have been taking their children to India for surgery, but I simply couldn’t afford it,” said Vimbainashe Chakanungwa as she helped her daughter sip her meal. Chakanungwa’s monthly salary as a teacher is about $300, barely enough for household basics, let alone surgery.

Gracious is one of 10 children who received free open-heart surgery in July at Parirenyatwa Hospital from a visiting team of Egyptian surgeons working alongside Zimbabwean doctors.

In a country with just a handful of cardiothoracic specialists and chronic shortages of functioning equipment in public hospitals, the “heart camp” offered hope to families who can’t imagine raising the $15,000 needed for surgery abroad.

Zimbabwe has only five cardiothoracic surgeons, including Dr. Kudzai Kanyepi, the country’s first and only female heart surgeon.

“There is no medication that can replace surgery. The burden of disease remains, and unfortunately some of the children pass away without getting the help they desperately need,” Kanyepi said. “It is the reason why we continue to work in our country. There is nothing greater than helping your own people.”

Zimbabwe resumed open-heart operations in 2023 after they were paused in 2018 due to economic turmoil. Since then, local surgeons have operated on 55 children.

Another 19 have benefited from two surgical camps last year and in July with Egyptian assistance and supported by nongovernmental organizations such as Gift of Life International.

Globally, about one in every 100 children is born with congenital heart disease, making it the world’s most common birth defect, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Zimbabwe, an estimated 4,500 children are born with heart disease each year, with many unable to access surgery, said Dr. Simukayi Machawira, head of cardiology at the hospital.

Of those, 30% — or around 1,200 infants — are likely to die in their first year if untreated, he said.

“You can imagine, it’s quite a lot of children,” he said.

Dr. Hesham Shawky, the Egyptian team leader, has organized similar camps in Kenya and Uganda. “This is the only solution for many people in Africa because they can’t afford private care,” he said.

On the ward in Zimbabwe, mothers hovered over their children, relief etched on their faces. Machines beeped softly as nurses adjusted tubes. One baby slept beside a balloon scrawled with a smiley face.

For Chakanungwa, the joy over her child was hard to measure.

“I had resorted to prayer, just hoping for a miracle,” Chakanungwa said, smiling. “It’s impossible to open my heart to show my gratitude and happiness. I was afraid that I could lose my baby, but here is the baby. She’s back to life.”

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A doctor checks on a Anashe Mugoba as she recovers from an open-heart surgery at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli)

A doctor and staff members check on Anashe Mugoba as she recovers recovers from an open-heart surgery at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli)

Vimbainashe Chakanungwa, left, watches on as her 9 year-old daughter Graciuos Chikovo sits on the chair as she recovers as she recovers from an open-heart surgery at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli)

Violet Petro watches her 9 year-old son Ethan Goronga playing games on a mobile phone as he recovers from an open-heart surgery at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli)

Kimberly Raisi lies on the bed as she recovers as she recovers from an open-heart surgery at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Yoon was impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered huge public protests calling for his ouster.

The most significant criminal charge against him alleges that his martial law enforcement amounted to a rebellion, and the independent counsel has requested the death sentence in the case that is to be decided in a ruling next month.

In Friday's case, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon for defying attempts to detain him, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting.

Yoon has maintained he didn’t intend to place the country under military rule for an extended period, saying his decree was only meant to inform the people about the danger of the liberal-controlled parliament obstructing his agenda. But investigators have viewed Yoon’s decree as an attempt to bolster and prolong his rule, charging him with rebellion, abuse of power and other criminal offenses.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun said in the televised ruling that imposing “a grave punishment” was necessary because Yoon hasn’t shown remorse and has only repeated “hard-to-comprehend excuses.” The judge also restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon’s action was necessary.

Yoon, who can appeal the ruling, hasn’t immediately publicly responded to the ruling. But when the independent counsel demanded a 10-year prison term in the case, Yoon’s defense team accused them of being politically driven and lacking legal grounds to demand such “an excessive” sentence.

Prison sentences in the multiple, smaller trials Yoon faces would matter if he is spared the death penalty or life imprisonment at the rebellion trial.

Park SungBae, a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, said there is little chance the court would decide Yoon should face the death penalty in the rebellion case. He said the court will likely issue a life sentence or a sentence of 30 years or more in prison.

South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 and courts rarely hand down death sentences. Park said the court would take into account that Yoon’s decree didn’t cause casualties and didn’t last long, although Yoon hasn’t shown genuine remorse for his action.

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shouts slogans outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waits for a bus carrying former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs as police officers stand guard outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is placed on a board as supporters gather outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)