PESHAWAR: Members of a UK-based organisation conducted 70 free, non-invasive, and open cardiac surgeries on poor children at Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar (LRH) during their first visit to Pakistan.
The mission consisting of 15 paediatric cardiac surgeons representing Muntada AID, a UK-based charity group, in collaboration with paediatric cardiology ward of LRH performed complex heart procedures for which patients were prepared beforehand.
Dr Sadia Ilyas, head of the department, said that all procedures and operations were conducted free of cost and beneficiaries also included four Afghans. “The cost of some of the procedures was about Rs1.5 million. The patients aged between five months to 20 years. All of them are doing well,” she said.
Dr. Jabar Ali, head of the interventional cardiology department, expressed the team’s satisfaction with the hospital’s members and their desire to revisit the country to perform more procedures.
Procedures carried out free of cost that also benefitted four Afghans
“First benefit of this visit was that patients underwent surgeries through highly expert hands. Secondly, we and healthcare professionals from other hospitals learnt a lot about how these procedures are conducted in developed countries,” he said. He added that most of the procedures conducted by the visiting team were invasive except eight open heart surgeries.
The visit of the organisation was part of its “Little Heart Mission”, an initiative aimed at helping needy children around the globe, according to LRH spokesperson Mohammad Asim. He said that the 15-member team of paediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and intensive care specialists from UK and Turkiya carried out lifesaving procedures and surgeries under “Little Heart Mission” to provide humanitarian medical aid to people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We are extremely grateful to the administration for great support and doing all the hard work. We together saved 70 little children by conducting heart procedures and surgeries,” said Prof Nayaf Sheikh, the chief executive officer of Muntada AID, UK.
He said that the team conducted all procedures and surgeries free of cost as all patients were from poor background, living in remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while some belonged to the neighbouring war-stricken Afghanistan.
“So far we have operated on 3,500 children with congenital heart diseases in 15 countries around the globe. We are also thankful to health workers, who are helping us in identifying sick children and their economic background to extend them cashless services and win divine blessings. It is our flagship pioneer programme under which we are trying our level best to assist children with heart defects with the help of best doctors,” said Prof Nayaf.
On the occasion, the chairman of Board of Governors of LRH, Prof Nausherwan Burki also spoke to Prof Nayaf and extended full support to him for future’s collaboration and visits. The latter pledged to visit the province again for conducting100 surgeries.
Prof Nayaf said that his organisation wanted to reach out to those children, who had no access to quality treatment due to its high cost. “Our team has a mission to ensure that children don’t suffer from heart ailments due to lack of money. We are reaching everywhere to help children by providing quality treatment to them through highly qualified doctors and state-of-the-art equipment,” he said.
He said that doctors of LRH would conduct follow-ups of the patients, who had undergone procedures and surgeries.
Paediatric cardiologist Dr Tariq Suhail Babar said that his experience of working with Little Hearts Muntada Aid team was outstanding, particularly with Prof Nayaf Sheikh.
“I would like to specially thank Dr Ahmetamazel, a remarkable teacher and mentor. His inspiring words, including “learning from the walls” and “never give up,” will stay with me forever,” he said.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2025
