Congenital heart disease (CHD) has emerged as a leading contributor to infant mortality in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We report the early results of a population health program for CHD, implemented in the state of Kerala, India.

Objective: To report on early results of a population-based program implementation in an 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 < 1 year of age constituted 56, 62 and 63% in these years, respectively. The number of heart operations managed through Hridyam rose from 208 to 624 and 1227 in the same years, with overall 30-day mortality of 2.4%. Overall- and CHD-related infant mortality in Kerala fell by 21.1% and 41.0%, respectively, over the same interval. Unmet challenges include lack of universal catchment and a 5% preoperative mortality rate.

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.