Pak cousins look for help to hear, speak

Chennai, Dec 15 (UNI) Ten-year-old Gulraiz and his eight-year-old cousin brother Muhammad Saad Malik were born deaf at Gujranwala in Pakistan.

Hailing from a poor family, their parents mopped up available resources and flew to the KKR ENT Hospital in the city with the hope their children will be able to hear and speak.

Even as a team of doctors led by Hospital Chairman K K Ramalingam, also called as father of modern ear surgery in India and his son Dr Ravi Ramalingam successfully conducted the cochlear Implantation on Gulraiz, the parents of Muhammad Saad Malik are keeping their fingers crossed.

The Cochlear Implant alone costs about Rs 6.1 lakh and they may not be able to raise the funds required for the surgery and hospitalisation.

''I appeal to the Tamil Nadu and Indian Government and the people of the country to help my son,' Malik's father Md Amin said today at a press conference organised by the hospital, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

His wife Shama Amin was seen being consoled by her cousin and Gulraiz's father.

''We have approached Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, large corporate houses and philanthropists to support Malik,'' Dr Ravi Ramalingam said and added the hospital did not charge anything for Gulraiz's surgery.

''With the available money, they only paid for the implant. The surgery, stay in the hospital and the month-long post-operative rehabilitation are being looked after by the hospital,'' he said.

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