RAWALPINDI, Dec 13: A four-and-a-half-year-old Iraqi child suffering from a serious heart disease was operated upon at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) here on Wednesday.

Przha Omar, daughter of Omar Amin Abdullah of Al-Sulaymania, Iraq, was suffering from Tetrology of Fallot (a congenital heart disease) and was operated upon by a team of International Children Heart Foundation (ICHF) and AFIC.

Przha is the first Iraqi child to be treated at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology on the orders of President Musharraf. The president had directed the AFIC to operate on 10 selected Iraqi children on every trip of the US cardiac experts to Pakistan.

It may be mentioned here that children with complex defects requiring cardiac surgical interventions from under-developed countries are deprived of such advanced treatment facilities and same holds true in case of Iraqi children, who are suffering from heart diseases and are awaiting for surgical relief. To alleviate their suffering, President Musharraf has ordered their treatment by a team of expert doctors.

The Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology has taken lead in caring for the sick children over the last 20 years.

The institute is treating infants, neonates and children with complex defects requiring complicated repairs.

To establish a comprehensive paediatric cardiac surgical centre at AFIC, a collaboration had been made with the International Children Heart Foundation (ICHF), USA, in September 2005.

In this collaboration programme, a team comprising 14 members will make four trips to Pakistan per year for four years. A multinational team from the International Childrens Heart Foundation (ICHF) led by Prof Doctor William M. Novick is currently visiting Pakistan as part of an ongoing two-week programme from December 2-15.