On September 17, 2011, Dawn's Lahore edition published the story of a young heart patient Ahmed, who needed Rs. 500,000 for a surgical procedure. Following the publication of that story, Dawn received an overwhelming feedback from all over the world, wishing the baby health and good luck and patrons willing to bear the cost of the operation. We thanks all our readers for their support. Here is an update on Ahmed’s story.

LAHORE: A leading Indian health institution has announced that it will conduct surgery of a two-month-old Pakistani baby suffering from complicated heart disease on a priority basis.

Through an email, Dr Ashok Seth, chairman, Cardiology Council, Fortis Group of Hospitals, and president-elect of the Cardiological Society of India, has expressed his desire to conduct the surgery of the heart patient.

He asked Ahmed’s family to contact Dr Raajiv Singhal, zonal director, Fortis Escorts Heart Institution, Delhi, and reach the health institution as soon as possible.

Ahmad, son of a poor man Saleem Shahzad, is suffering from ventricular septal defect, arterial septal defect and transposition of great arteries TGA (which means his right side blood vessels are on left side and left side blood vessels on right side).

The immediate and warm welcome by the management of a leading Indian cardiac institution landed like a good news for the poor family running from pillar to post for donations for the expensive surgery of their two-month-old baby.

“I understand that the parents are poor and cannot afford advanced life-saving surgical treatment. From our end, we will like to help the child and treat him irrespective of whatever he can afford, so as to try and save his life,” said Dr Ashok.

He said the surgery would be performed by Dr Rajesh Sharma whom the parents have chosen earlier.

“I, therefore, reiterate the parents should bring the child here as soon as possible, so that we can proceed with the assessment and surgery. They can bring along whatever finances they have.

“We will bear the rest of the financials. Lack of finances will not stop us from treating the child; this is our commitment,” Dr Ashok Seth said.

He said the institute could send all related documents the parents of the child required.

Saleem Shahzad is preparing travel documents of his family.

This story was in Dawn on September 21, 2011.