LIFESAVER FOR BABY YUVRAJ
Minister Akbar, doctors give timely help for emergency heart surgery in NZ
Heart patient, six-week-old Yuvraj, has received a new lease of life, thanks to the swift action of doctors and the Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar.
Born on March 3, Yuvraj was diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
His father, Divendra Kishore, 37, and mother Rabina Kumar, 34, from Nausori, praised Ms Akbar and the doctors of Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva for their professionalism in facilitating Yuvraj’s surgery in New Zealand. “Within days after he was born, doctors had told us that they would not be able to operate on him in Fiji. Doctors at CWM sent his documents to Starship Children’s Hospital in
For a family of nine, Mr Kishore said, it was difficult to raise money for the treatment.
Auckland,” Mrs Kumar said. “The next day they received word from Dr John Stirling, their paediatric cardiologist, that they were able to operate on Yuvraj, but there was a cost attached to it,” Mrs Kumar said.
Starship Children’s Hospital quoted more than NZ$35,000 (approximately FJ$50,800) for the procedure.
A plumber by profession, Mr Kishore was not in any position to raise that type of money within days.
That was when the ministry stepped in.
“Doctors at CWM children’s ward sent in the documents to the Ministry of Health and I also wrote to the Minister. Within a day, everything was approved. We paid for our fare and everything else was catered for by the ministry. “Not only this. Yuvraj was twoweeks-old when he was operated on. A doctor from Starship Hospital accompanied us back to Fiji for a day on April 1 to properly do the handing over to doctors here. Her costs were also borne by the Health Ministry.
“The doctor who accompanied us was also amazed that her fare and accommodation etc were organised in a day,” Mr Kishore said.
“Government has done us such a huge favour. We are so grateful to the Minister and the doctors here for their dedication. Our baby is today recovering, all thanks to them.”
Yuvraj will undergo a second operation in September when a team from Starship Children’s Hospital arrive in the country. Other children are also expected to be operated on during their stay in Fiji. The second operation too will be free of charge.
For a family of nine, Mr Kishore said, it was difficult to raise money for the treatment. “Doctors and nurses do not get enough thanks and Ms Akbar also does not get thanks from people. We want to thank them for the work they do every day.”