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| Iraqi
Children along with their parents arriving at the Chennai
Airport. |
Chennai
has not only become famous for its economical medical facilities but
also for its altruism towards the poor, who are in desperate need of
medical assistance, especially people from war-ravaged countries.
As many as 20 Iraqi
Children, who have a congenital heart
defect, flown to India on
February 27 for surgery, can be taken as an apt example of the
city's medical generosity towards humanity.
An
US agency by name 'Brothers together of Shevet achim' had identified
these children, CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) sponsored the
air travel and the International Centre for Cardio Thoracic &
Vascular Diseases, Chennai, came forward to perform the surgery free
of cost. The Centre also agreed to bear the cost of the stay of the
parents in the city.
Safeenaz Mahdi
Ahmed came to know that her child Hussain Abbas had a heart defect
when he started to eat less, slouched while he was standing, while
his nails and tongue became blue. Hussain was two-years-old then.
Not having enough
money to get her son operated and due to non-availability of medical
facilities in her own country (Iraq) to get her son cured, she was
almost reconciled to losing the child.
However, hope
sprang thanks to Jonathan Miles who spent nine months in Northern
Iraq with the US Army. Hussain, who is now five years old, will be
operated for the heart defect in Chennai.
Jonathan was able
to see 130 survivors of neglected congenital heart diseases in the
province of Kirkuk with a population of one million. He immediately
mailed various cardiologists world over through Pediheart, a forum
of cardiologists, seeking help for the operations to save these
children.
 Dr K M Cherian, a
pioneer in the field of paediatric heart surgery and chairman and
CEO of International Centre for Cardio Thoracic and Vascular
Diseases, came forward to conduct surgeries for 20 Iraqi congenital
heart defect children, free of cost.
Speaking to
Chennaionline, Dr Cherian said so far six operations had been
carried out and they had proceeded well. The remaining operations
would be completed before March 11. Everyday, two operations are
being conducted from March 1 onwards.
Dr Cherian pointed
out that a Jewish agency had brought Muslims from Iraq for their
surgeries to be conducted in a Christian hospital in India, which is
a secular country.
On the cost of
operation for a child, Cherian said the cost of surgery for every
child would be around $ 3,500 to 4,000. He pointed out that the same
operation if done in the US would cost far more -- around $ 40,000
and $ 35,000 in UK.
The cost of the
surgery would be high in the US and UK because of the complexity of
the disease which had affected the kids.
He said in all 48
children had been chosen for treatment in India including the
surgery. Initially 20 children had come. Two children died in Iraq
itself before they could be brought to India.
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|
Dr.K M
Cherian, Chairman, International Centre for Cardio
Thoracic and Vascular Diseases with the Iraqi kids |
On
the success rate of the surgery for the Iraqi kids, Dr Cherian said,
“So far things are going on well and the rest lies in the hands of
God.”
Dr Cherian, who has
carried out the first infant heart transplantation in India, said
more such operations can be done for larger number of Iraqi children
if the hospital received some government assistance.
Sahar Shuker Hussai,
mother of Hawraa who is to be operated shortly, said, “Indians are
a caring and loving lot. We thank the Indians for loving us so much,
particularly the hospital for providing free surgery for the
children and facilities for others.”
A Alimudeen
|
Saving Iraqi
lives in Chennai
