Child looks to PM for treatment

Islamabad : ohail Khan’s heart sinks as he sees his minor son puff and sit down after a short run in the street.

A college teacher based in Islamabad, the 38-year-old’s greatest worry is about the future of five-year-old Abdullah, who lives with a congenital heart disease.

“I have taken my child to all the doctors I know for consultation and treatment and even he was operated upon by the leading cardiologists but still he needs surgical procedures to lead a normal life, a thing, which gives me sleepless nights especially when I don’t have enough money to afford the treatment,” he told ‘The News’.

With the doctors recommending the child’s early surgical treatment abroad, Sohail Khan feared that if Abdullah remained untreated for a few more years, he wouldn’t be able to live a normal life.

According to the teacher, his child was born with dextrocardia and pulmonary atresia, two heart defects, and has undergone two surgeries by the leading cardiologists but more procedures have been recommended.

“My child needs delicate surgical treatment, which is not much possible in Pakistan. I sent his medical records to surgeons in some western countries, where the treatment is available with high success rate, and got a positive response,” he said.

However, managing the sought-after finances totalling over Rs15 million is not possible for Sohail Khan, who now looks to Prime Minister Imran Khan for help. “Abdullah can lead a normal life if the government bears the cost of his treatment abroad,” he said.