Pakistani child, 7, needs help for lifesaving treatment in London

LONDON: A 7-year-old child from Quetta in London for treatment for a complex heart condition has been told by doctors his treatment cannot be started unless he has at least £80,000 in his bank account for expenses towards his treatment.

His father Haji Gul Zaman brought Mohammad Safwan Zaman to London two weeks ago after selling family home in Quetta. Mr Zaman was able to raise £40,000 but doctors at the Harley Street Clinic have told him that he needs at least nearly the same amount more for treatment for his son’s complex medical conditions.

Safwan Zaman is affected by a complex cardiac defect (double outlet right ventricle with large VSD and previous pulmonary artery hand) and requires medical and surgical care in order to protect his heart and lung circulation from ongoing damage.

Safwan Zaman was treated at the Agha Khan Hospital where Cardiac surgeon Professor Saleem Akhtar told the family that Zaman cannot be treated in Pakistan and that treatment would be possible in London.

British High Commission issued the visa after getting confirmation from the hospital.

Haji Gul Zaman told this reporter: “The doctors told me that the cost of the treatment is £40K but now a different price has been quoted after the examination at Harley Street Clinic. Doctors have advised us that Safwan should be treated as soon as possible before developing more and incurable complications.

The treatment was due to start on 19th December 2019 but due to non-sufficient funds it’s not possible unless I have the full amount. Before I travelled to the UK I was told that it would cost £40,000. It was very hard for me to arrange this amount but I sold my property and managed it. I have no idea what I will do to arrange the remaining amount. I don’t know anyone in this country. I will appeal for help from anyone.”

Haji Gul Zaman explained that his son heart valves are overlapped; red and white cells are dysfunctional and haphazard; and his son has huge breathing issues all the time.

“It saddens me to see that my son wants to play but can't play; he wants to ride on bike but can't.”

Dr. Alessandro Giardini and Dr Martin Kostolny, Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeons at the Harley Street Clinic, said in a report the young patient tends to sweat easily and cannot exercise and when active tends to complain of breathlessness and chest pain.

They said in a report” “He seems to be getting frequent chest infections. He is receiving Sildenafil 25 mg 3 times a day, Furosemide 20 mg twice a day and Spironolactone 25 mg once a day.

The doctors have told the family that “this is a very complex anatomy and this is something that is very difficult to repair. One option would be to try to undertake an arterial switch operation and try to reroute the left ventricle to the pulmonary valve and the neoaorta trough the VSD. We would the require to take the PA band down and use a right-ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit to provide pulmonary blood flow. This is something that can be only finalised after a chest CT has been undertaken to look at a 3D anatomy.”

Haji Gul Zaman is staying with a friend from Quetta in East London’s Ilford area.

Haji Gul Zaman can be reached at zgul43000@gmail.com and 00447448643749