Hope for survival brings 80 Iraqi children to India for treatment

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) Far away from the booming guns and violence in Baghdad, year-and-half-old Hussain, an Iraqi, is recovering in a Delhi hospital after a major cardiac surgery.

His parents have heaved a sigh of relief since doctors told them that their only child's survival chances after the operation were 100 per cent and he could now lead a normal life.

But in Baghdad, Hussain's life was anything but normal.

He could not play, eat or live like other children of his age.

For most of his young life, he was bed-ridden because of his heart condition-- Congenital Heart Disease (CHD).

Hussain required urgent medical intervention but the situation in Iraq prevented that. His distressed parents finally approached the Iraqi Government for help to save their only child.

In June, the Iraqi government sponsored Hussain and 79 other children for treatment to India at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Most of the patients, who came in batches, were treated for CHD and hearing loss requiring cochlear implants besides other disorders.

So far, 24 children have undergone surgery for cochlear implants and 10, including Hussain, for CHD.

''All the patients who have been operated upon are recovering and at the moment are in recovery and rehabilitation,'' said Dr Vikas Kohli, Senior Pediatric Cardiologist.

He said after treatment they will be able to lead a normal life with 100 per cent survival chances.

Congenital heart disease is a defect that exists primarily at birth and can describe a wide variety of different abnormalities affecting the heart, he said.

''Our team performed an interventional surgical procedure known as Intra Cardiac Echo (ICE) on a child suffering from a blockage in his heart, which prevented circulation of blood,'' the doctor said, pointing out that 30,000 children need surgery in the first year for cardiac diseases.

Senior ENT consultant Dr Ameet Kishore, who treated 24 children with acute deafness said patients had the disorder because of natural causes.

''Not even one child had any violence-related disorder,'' he said.

Explaining the procedure, Dr Kishore said the children had to undergo a three-phase treatment which was followed by audiological training and speech therapy.

''Cochlear implants for congenitally deaf children is often considered to be the most effective when implanted at a young age... at present, the children are under observation and getting required therapies,'' he added.

UNI