Free Heart Surgery Saves Boy’s Life
Four and a half year old Ameer Ali is expected to be feeling much better today after his successful free heart operation.
Thanks to the Sai Prema Foundation in conjunction with Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospitals India and the Ministry of Health. His surgery was conducted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.
The young boy’s mother, Sumeshni Ali, said she was grateful to the incredible help done by surgeons and specialists to save her son’s life.
“I am so thankful to God and to the surgeons for doing these free heart surgeries in Fiji for kids like my son,” said Mrs Ali.
“My son kept having shortness of breath and we kept thinking he had asthma but after medical checkups and clinics at CWM, we found out that he had a hole in his heart.”
Ameer is among the 18-20 children who have and will be undergoing surgery in the next couple of days. Mrs Ali advises parents to always pay attention to their child’s health from a very young age and not to take it for granted.
“Always seek medical help from hospitals and nearby medical facilities because you have all the right to know about your kid’s health and it is the parent’s responsibility to be attentive and not to be careless,” said Mrs Ali.
After undergoing a three-hour surgery, Ameer is now recovering at the Intensive Care Unit.
The young recipients were identified with various heart complications after 76 children went through heart screenings last week in the Children’s Heart Screening Centre at the Sri Sathya Sanjeevani Medical Centre in Nasese.
Surgeons and medical professionals from Fiji, India, USA, Australia and Oman led by surgeons Dr Ashish Katewa from the Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital India and Dr. Shaun Shetty from the United States of America. The Sai Prema Foundation has assisted 54 children through the free heart surgeries project for the poor and needy children of Fiji since 2016.
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