Papua New Guinea has just one heart scan machine – a portable ultrasound that checks how the heart works and looks for problems like birth defects or damage from rheumatic heart disease. Dr Cornelia Kilalang, chief paediatrician at the Department of Health, said the shortage is putting children’s lives at risk. “Right now, PNG only has one. That’s not enough,” she said. She stressed that major hospitals like Angau in Lae city need more machines and trained staff to give young patients a real chance at survival. Early signs of heart problems include babies who sweat or get tired while feeding, children who fail to grow, persistent coughs that don’t get better with medicine, and older children with fever, joint pain, or shortness of breath. Meanwhile, the screening program at Angau Children’s Outpatient Clinic is in its second day. It is run by the Operation Open Heart Foundation with support from corporate partners. The free program helps identify children who need further care, but Dr Kilalang says every major hospital in PNG should have a heart scan machine so no child has to wait or die.