Doctors at Fortis Malar in Chennai perform successful heart transplant on Kharian resident. PHOTO: FILE
A team of Indian doctors saved the life of a Pakistani man after performing a successful heart transplant surgery on him at a hospital in Chennai. Interestingly, the donor was also an Indian national, according to a press release issued by the Asiatic Public Relations.
“Reflecting its commitment to saving and enriching lives beyond boundaries, a team of cardiac experts at the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Cardiac Care, Fortis Malar, Chennai, led by Dr KR Balakrishnan, Director Cardiac Sciences, performed a lifesaving complex heart transplant surgery on a Pakistani national,” reads the press release.
Pakistani national Moulana Mohammed Zubair Ashmi, 40, a resident of Kharian tehsil, Gujrat district, was suffering from a condition called ‘Dilated Cardiomyopathy’, in which the functioning of both ventricle of the heart are severely depressed.
Ashmi was repeatedly admitted in several hospitals with breathing difficulty and other symptoms. Doctors finally diagnosed him as having heart failure and told his family that his only chance of survival was a heart transplant.
“He had been on medication in Pakistan for more than a year since he was diagnosed with decreased pumping efficiency of the heart of around 10-15% (normal being 60%) – a condition denoting his poor heart function. When his condition became precarious, he was airlifted from a leading heart hospital in Lahore, Pakistan,” said Dr K R Balakrishnan.
“Upon his arrival at Fortis Malar, we performed a detailed medical examination, and realised he also had renal failure, had fluid in his lungs and abdomen and was also hepatitis C positive. All this just made his condition extremely difficult to treat,” he added.
After a wait of approximately two months, a suitable Indian donor heart became available for Ashmi, even though it was of a different blood group, through an organ sharing network system created in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
“If the transplant had been delayed by even 2 days, it would have cost him his life,” said Dr Suresh Rao, Chief of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Critical Care.
Following the successful operation, a grateful Ashmi said, “I am ready to live life all over again and it is all due to the kindness of my saviour heart.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2013.
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None of this will stop the terrorists from coming down to India. After all Pakistanis were gloating when the 26/11 attacks happened. Saudi Arabia and Pakistani were in fact blaming India for the incident, due to inadequate security measures in place to prevent this incident, no less !!! Less than 10 people turned up for the 26/11 memorial held at Lahore.
Honestly the only thing we enjoy is each other's misery. Nothing more nothing less. It is better if we put an end to this farce of a relationship once and for all.
All credit goes to doctor for properly arranging the donor and executing surgery. Its a great news to hear about India and people should learn and take lesson from this and. We are proud of our Doctors
Slam to donor,s family.
A good good will gesture by India. We welcome this move.....
@anonymous: Giving candies and chocalate are not big deal . we have given you heart.
@ Gp65, You are very right and you are also great.
Do I hear the wall coming down? We were one and the same for hundreds of years and still have the same culture, history and traditions. I wish I could go to India and donate my blood. This is what friendship is all about and that is why mullahs and establishment is against friendship and love between people.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/530062/indian-girl-who-strayed-into-pakistan-sent-back-with-new-dress-candies-report/
@Sonam Shyam: You forgot how we let your military helicopter let go unharmed when they strolled in to our sensitive territory?
You shot our Atlantique down
@Irshad Khan: Well when it comes to matter of treating a patient, it is only right that religion and nationality are not seen. I would like to point out that by no means is this case unique. Several other Pakistani patients come to sperspecialty ospitals in India to be treated for heart and kidney ailments.
Any wariness that Indians and Pakistanis may old towards each other due to history, needs to stop when human lives are at stake.
Wish a long and happy life to this patient.
@Ahmed Baig: Were those 45 fishermen dying? Or had a threat of death in Pakistan prisons?
I suggest ET or any NGO invites these great people to Pakistan and give them an overwhelming welcome, particularly to the family of Heart donor. This is a unique case of love & affection for humanity and extreme dedication to the profession of doctors
This gesture where a muslim has been rescued by hindu doctor and donor will go against the teachings of taleban's Islam not my Islam. My Islam teaches me to reciprocate and love my neighbours. Say no to extremism and say yes to Bhagwan or Allah of peaceful Indian sub Continent.
@Rashid: Sometimes it is best to just keep your mouth shut.
@Aschraful Makhlooq: A simple heartfelt thank you to Indians will suffice. Your comments come off as a bunch of doctors just doing their job.
What a contrast and difference of professionalism!!! Armed forces and politician are exchanging bruised bodies and ready to avenge each and every move against each other, elevation of hate getting above the Mount Everest! This approach is highly appreciable. Extremely refreshing news indeed, no words to express the gratitude! Well done India, you have a good reason to be proud of your Doctors!
What a contrast and difference of professionalism!!! Armed forces and politician are exchanging bruised bodies and ready to avenge each and every move against each other, elevation of hate getting above the Mount Everest! This approach is highly appreciable. Extremely refreshing news indeed, no words to express the gratitude! Well done India, you a good reason to be proud of your Doctors!
@Munir Mian You must, but do you even know that its not the cardiac patients but there are much more kidney patient getting treatment in Indian super-special hospitals. so first of all you should get specialty in this area.
@BLing BLing: You wanted to punch someone because she did not fill out a survey? Seriously? You need anger management classes.
Thank you India.
There are good and bad people everywhere. Where I work, I asked this Indian lady once to fill out a survey for the company and the way she said "No, I am not filling any survey" made me wanna punch her in the face even though she a lot older than I am.
India saved one man's life, we freed 45 fishermen. Now this is generosity, won't you agree?
There are not too many heart-warming stories about these two bitter neighbors but this is certainly one of them. Nobody can now say India is heartless.
Our forefathers have no have been living peacefully for thousands of years have no problem attending each others khushi and gams why we can not live like good neighbrers very good and cost effective heart trans plant and other world class medical facilities are available in India why should Pakistani brothers and sisters should go to other countries and spend more.
Phir Bhi dil hai hindustani... I wonder if thats the inner feeling of this patient after his surgery. But surely Pakistan and India needed such gesture after Surbajit Singh incident.
@sunil: Its an human heart in an another human body... Seeing things through the prism of nationalism/religion/sex/caste/ etc etc more often than not result in poor judgment and decisions.
@Rashid: Rashid ji, I have to admit I missed your satire. My apologies :) Wa-Alaikum-Salaam and Pranam to you too :)
@Np: @Water Bottle: Are you the man who loved Yoghurt in a new avatar?
Np ji, I suspect that too. Good to know I am not alone. May be that Yoghurt avataar got too hot to handle :D
@Chulbul Pandey
Chulbulji, regards. Thanks for the hint, but no, I wouldn't have missed the sarcasm without the hint. But surely you missed it completely. It was directed to some of my own people. May be it was so subtle that it ultimately didn't look like a satire. Anyway, all is well that ends well. We are on the same page. Salam and pranam.
@Ali Tanoli "Me Pakistani My heart hindustani, My language Inklastani my neighbur khalistani, my shoes japani, my food turkmani my money americani.. but i am pakistani…." Good one, but How could you miss your religion which is Arabistani!
@Water Bottle: Are you the man who loved Yoghurt in a new avatar?
I often think why Indians specially non muslims r so good in education( science nd technology) weras muslim kntries in our region as wel as in other parts of th world r still very much lagng behind tan us. Is it due to our (non muslims) approach towards th world nd ppl as a whole or something else?
@Munir Mian: first upgrade your education to modern medical challenges then talk about making amendments to existing facilities,malala was sent out for different reasons and don't come up with false claims about every doctor you ever encountered outside Pakistan is a pakistani
@misbah: don't worry we didn't kill an indian to save a pakistani,don't get dramatic ... @sunil: according to dr afridi those two hearts never a match for one another,as he sees pakistanis have a big heart XL size...
@Rashid: Hmmm…! So it seems not all Indians are bad people though some of them may be.
Rashid ji, I did not think it was possible to put a negative spin on such a heart-warming story..... until I read your comment. Congratulations. You really are very creative... even in your hateful ways.
PS. It was sarcasm, in case you miss it.
@misbah: ....cried You seem to be an emotional person. You can also share your heart with some one.
We are here trying to unite the hearts but Pakistanis are desperately trying to devide us by snatching Kashmir on the name of religion .
Pathetic. Instead of sending Pakistani patients to India for treatment. the Government and rich Pakistani citizens should make a serious effort to modernize and upgrade their own medical facilities. Ms Malala was sent to England for treatment. Pakistani patients requiring heart transplant are being sent to India for surgery.
Me Pakistani My heart hindustani, My language Inklastani my neighbur khalistani, my shoes japani, my food turkmani my money americani.. but i am pakistani....
Now i want to ask: which religion does Ashimi belong to? The doner heart could be a hindu/sikh/christian/jain/muslim. Which body part defines ones religion. Now would he be treated like other minorities in Pakistan? Would Hafiz Sayed now kill him?
Indian doctors are best in the world. proud to be an indian
This case is not one off. There are many Pakistanis getting good treatment in India but it never comes in Pakistani media as its always busy bashing India for every reason possible
Its obvious the Army is in complete charge in Pakistan and without an enemy, how will they get all the funds ?
Hamare dil bahut bade hain yaaron. We have developed a lot & welcome to India for Super Specialty treatment. Hum toofan se kashti nikal laye hain.
I am absolutely proud of the Indian doctors who quite regularly offer super-speciality treatment to the needy Pakistani citizens. Believe me I am not trying to spoil the atmospherics but there is a solid perception in India that these postive gestures from Indians is just a one way traffic since there is hardly any postivity coming from Pakistan. All that Indians get in return is vicious propaganda and violent attacks. Leave alone getting any unilateral positive concession from Pakistan, India has not even been provided the most favoured nation status by Pakistan which it is obliged to do under international trade rules. That sums up my arguement.
Hmmm...! So it seems not all Indians are bad people though some of them may be. Overall a good news.
this is one of many pakistani cases in india, but by joint cooperation this treatment shuld be available in lahore,karachi. So dat every poor people cn afrd it,
proud of our universal doctor
Human values must transcend every religion. A human heart is a heart, no medical student can ever know which religion it belongs to. A patient remains the same to every Doctor, his professionalism does not allow him to differentiate on the basis of gender, religion, caste, ethnicity or language. This is how it should be. May Zubair's heart continue to beat with vigour and may he use his extended life to achieve all his goals.
i cried
Amazing....
That's why , both countries should accept eachother as a good neighbours.
We should now forget hate mongering game. Mr.Sunil you are very right. I have all the regards for the Indian doctors and donor, they are all great people worth to be loved and worth to be respected all the times.
Best of luck Mr. Zubair Ashmi... In some way you too have kept the donor alive by keeping his heart beating as long as you can... Hope it beats to so loud that everyone in Pakistan hears it...
Thank you India!
A good Confidence Building measure :)
Hmm. No comments from Pakistani Ghazis here?
Thats the way to go :)
A hindu heart and Muslim body....can we seperate them now? May God unite all of us!
Religion has no boundaries....is such a human gesture possible in Pakistani ? this is not the first time such a gesture on humanitarian basis performed by the Indians....we should be grateful to them for saving so many Pakistani lives....
Great gesture!!