China has provided free medical treatment for 21 Afghan children with congenital heart diseases. [Photo: cnr.cn]

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China has provided free medical treatment for 21 Afghan children with congenital heart diseases, the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) announced Thursday.

The CRCF conducted congenital heart disease screenings in Afghanistan last month, and took 21 children to Urumqi, capital city of northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for medical treatment.

The surgeries were performed by doctors from hospitals in Shanghai, Beijing and Xinjiang, according to the CRCF.

As of now, 17 children have been discharged from hospital and returned to Afghanistan, and another four have had their operations and are expected to leave the hospital in a week.

The children are the first group to receive treatment under a Belt and Road humanitarian aid plan initiated by the CRCF, which said more children will receive free treatment in China.