Baby with irregular heart dies

The baby born last week with his heart out of his thorax died on Friday, the provision of intensive care at the direction of Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Vice Chancellor Children Hospital Lahore Dr Masood Sadiq confirmed baby Abdullah’s death.

According to the VC, the child fell prey to the rare disease Ectopia cordis, where the baby's heart does not have the typical coverage of the breastbone. The child was brought to the hospital and admitted to the ICU ward, where he suffered from intense sepsis which claimed his life. Dr Sadiq said that it was not possible to operate on the baby given his age.

Abdullah was born on September 6 with his fully-functioning heart outside of his thorax. The baby’s father Muhammad Qasim appealed to the Caretaker Chief Minister to help treat the child through a video message that went viral.

The CM took notice and the child was shifted from Muzaffargarh to Children’s Hospital Multan, where pediatric experts started looking after him.

A team of doctors arrived at Children's Hospital Multan from Lahore. Later, the infant was shifted to Children's Hospital Lahore, where he died on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2023.