Nida came to
us, at Samir Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund, in 2014, with
complaints of breathlessness on exertion. She was born with an atrial septal
defect (ASD), which had been diagnosed four years back during a routine health
checkup in school. Her parents took her to a hospital, where she was advised
open heart surgery to correct the condition at an estimated cost of around Rs
1.5 lakh. Her father, a welder, was the sole earning member of his family,
which had six dependent family members. He had no insurance cover, ESI or CGHS.
So, clearly, he could not afford the surgery.
He was then referred to us by the doctor who had first
diagnosed the child.
When Nida came to us in 2014, she was 9 years old; after
reviewing her condition, the Samir Malik
Heart Care Foundation Fund decided to adopt her. In
September 2014, she underwent ASD device closure by Dr Smita Mishra through the
fund. An open heart surgery was avoided.
Since then, Nida has been regularly coming to us for
follow up care.
She is now 14 years old and a student of class 9. She has
friends and participates enthusiastically in all school extracurricular activities
– drawing, poem recitations etc.; she enjoys sports like Kho Kho, Kabaddi and
above all, she is doing very well academically.
Nida is another success story of the Samir Malik
Heart Care Foundation Fund.
Using the device closure method avoided the trauma of
open heart surgery, a more invasive procedure, to correct the congenital heart
defect. It also meant a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery. Undergoing the
device closure also helped to remove the social stigma of living with a scar on
the chest.
Social gradient has been identified as one of the 10
social determinants of health. The others are: Stress, early life, social
exclusion, work, unemployment, social support, addiction, food and transport.
Social gradient means “people who are less advantaged in terms of
socioeconomic position have worse health (and shorter lives) than those who are
more advantaged”.
Social gradient needs to be addressed to eliminate the
inequalities in health in the society.
To see Nida as a healthy and active child today only
helps us to stay committed to our cause, which is to provide assistance to
needy heart patients, young and old, so that they can live a healthy and
productive life – “no person should die of a heart disease just
because he/she cannot afford treatment”.
Since it was first established in 2014,
the Fund has successfully sponsored 279 heart surgeries
such as valvular heart surgery, pacemaker implantation, surgeries for
congenital heart diseases, bypass surgery and stents. It has also
helped more than 1788 patients, both children and adults.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical
Associations in Asia and Oceania
(CMAAO)
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Past National President IMA
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