Their heart beats for Chandigarh

Mohit Khanna 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 20

Malan and Aarfa, parents of two-year-old Basmina, could not have asked for more. For them, the members of Rotary Club Chandigarh are no less than a guardian angel. 

In war-torn Afghanistan, even the mere thought of heart surgery is a distant thought. The two- year-old had a hole in her heart, a serious heart condition, and needed to be operated upon. However, the couple mustered courage and tried to look for options to save the life of their daughter.

The couple, who lived in a village 100 km away from Jalalabad in Afghanistan, could not control their emotions on seeing their daughter play with other children on the lush green lawns of Chandigarh Golf Club. 

Trying to interact through the Heart Line Project in-charge Sujkjit Singh, Malan, said, “Basmina was lifeless when she was brought here for surgery last month.  She was having difficulty in breathing. We had taken her to a hospital in Jalalabad from where we learnt about the problem.” 

“Due to lack of healthcare facilities, they were resigned to fate.  However, a ray of hope arose when they got in touch with the office-bearers of Rotary Club in Jalalabad.  After discussing the medical reports, Basmina was sent to  Chandigarh where she was successfully operated upon,” said Sukhjit Singh Gill.

The story of seven children belonging to the African nation of Malawi is also no different. Despite the language barrier, the parents were grateful and joyous on seeing their children get back to normal. Niya Buba (6), Julius Rombwa (7),  Jesica Josamu (4),  Nestor Sambakudwe (6), Shamina Halipher (1),  Justina Masautso(5) and Prisca Gorombe(15) from Malawi returned home this evening with the gift of life after successful heart surgery.

“The parents of these children are doing menial jobs to earn a living.  They are either working as farm workers and daily wagers who could have never imagined that their children would ever get back to normalcy,” explained Thuam Biak Kim, Health Nurse from Malawi High Commission who accompanied the children an acted as interpreter. 

She said that earlier too, some of the children from Malawi were operated upon free  of cost with the help of Rotary Club  of Chandigarh.  “While they have been provided free of cost treatment, the airfare was borne by the Malawi embassy,” added Kim. 

Halifah  Sanude, a relative of four-year-old Jesica Josamu, who underwent a serious heart surgery wherein a pacemaker was inserted to correct the heart rate, said, “The condition of all the children when they were brought here was pretty bad.  They were not eating anything. Today, when I see them gorging on food, my heart fills with joy,” said Halifah.