Did you know that between 40,000-50,000 children in Pakistan are born with heart defects every year? Unfortunately, there are only 8 pediatric cardiac surgeons in Pakistan for over 232 million people. So, children who require heart surgery face a bleak future due to the unavailability of pediatric open-heart surgery facilities.
About 25,000 pediatric patients need surgery every year, but only 3,000-4,000 are fortunate to make the cut. This paints a gloomy picture, but that wasn’t Zainab’s fate, alhamdulillah!
The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) made history when they performed Pakistan’s first pediatric open-heart surgery on Zainab.
Zainab, a five-year-old child, had a hole in her heart since birth. This defect caused excessive blood flow to the lungs, leading to frequent chest infections. April 26, 2023, will be a day that her family will cherish for the rest of their lives. Zainab underwent successful open-heart surgery on Tuesday, and now there is no hole in her heart. Can you imagine her family’s joy?
The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) was where Zainab got a new lease on life. The child’s heart surgery and post-operative care were made possible by the diligent efforts of 9 physicians, two perfusionists responsible for operating the heart-lung machine, and eight nurses.
Zainab’s recovery was impressive, as she could discontinue the use of the ventilator within three hours. Subsequently, she recovered exceptionally well and was released from the hospital on Friday, April 28, 2023.
According to Prof Adib Rizvi, Director of SIUT, the triumph of the surgery is attributed to the unwavering commitment and diligence exhibited by his team of medical experts. In addition, he emphasized the significance of expanding and incorporating advanced facilities and specialties to meet the complex healthcare needs of the country’s population.
This surgery has rekindled hope in the young patients and their families who had no option but to wait for a miracle. Guided by Prof. Adeeb Rizvi’s vision, a group of cardiologists and support staff formed the Pediatric Cardiology Department to introduce a new service and devise protocols and procedures that would enable the new unit to match any global facility specializing in pediatric and congenital heart disorders.