KARACHI, Nov 22: The Healthcare and Social Welfare Association on Friday introduced two children, Aiman and Faisal, who had returned from the United States after undergoing surgery conducted by the House of Charity in Houston, Texas.
Speaking at a press conference, Hashmat Effendi said that this year at least 100 children from all over the world, including 17 from Pakistan, would be taken to the US for medical treatment.
She said: “So far the Association has made arrangements for the treatment of 2,089 children who have been selected from Egypt, El Salvador, Honduras, Saudi Arabia and other countries. The children go to the US taking nothing but the clothes they are wearing.
There, they not only get free treatment but also their closets, rooms to live in and toys to play with. Above all, they are provided with emotional care and affection.”
Answering a question, Dr Feroz Ismail said that there were no criteria for the selection of children who were taken to the United States for surgery and medical treatment. “The only factors we take into account are that the surgery of a child should be such which cannot be performed in Pakistan, the child should be deserving and his medical treatment be available in the US.”
He added that in American hospitals children are carefully and personally attended to.
Dr Najam Qureishi said that two houses had been bought in the United States where children were accommodated. “There is one house for boys and another for girls. The Healthcare and Social Welfare Association is also making arrangements for the artificial limbs for children who needed them.”
Ghulam Bombaywala said that the House of Charity in Houston, Texas, had been running for the past seven years. “A group of doctors went to Bolivia in South America to provide medical treatment to children. A container having medical supplies came to Pakistan in September.”
Mr Bombaywala stressed that children afflicted with serious ailments be not given derogatory names. He added that they should be called special children.
Ms Effendi spoke about the various projects being run by the Healthcare and Social Welfare Association which included education development, healing the children programme and medical missions.
She spoke about a girl who did not have hands and legs. “The girl was provided medical treatment abroad. She was also enabled to overcome the trauma attached with such surgeries. She afterwards became so good at painting that she won a painting contest organized by the United Nations.”
Rohana Iqbal and Deena Mistri of the BVS School also spoke on the occasion.
KARACHI, Nov 22: The Healthcare and Social Welfare Association on Friday introduced two children, Aiman and Faisal, who had returned from the United States after undergoing surgery conducted by the House of Charity in Houston, Texas.
