Born with heart defect? It need not continue any longer…..

“Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belt”, as the aircraft started landing the voice of the air hostess brought back Farhana to present time, from her deep thoughts. She was thinking to herself, in just a time span of one month, how her life has changed from despair to hope!

Farhana Rahman, a lively spontaneous woman aged 33 years, is living with her husband for last six years in the city of Auckland at New Zealand. Farhana’s days were full with fun and play with Adyan, her two years old growing son, a bundle of energy. But occasionally, she wasn’t being able to cope with her playful child. She started getting tired even with little work and was having sudden palpitation and breathlessness. She felt lifeless without any energy to do anything, as extreme weakness was engulfing her everyday. Her husband took her to Auckland City Hospital. After necessary tests, the doctor told her that she has holes in her heart wall, not one but six! The doctor further told them she was born with this heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect which does not always produce symptoms till a certain age. She was advised cardiac surgery for repair of these holes; they said the surgery would cost them 40 thousand New Zealand Dollar which is equivalent to 39 lac 80 thousand Bangladeshi Taka! As if their whole world crashed in pieces, from where they will get so much money! He started contacting hospitals in Singapore, Thailand and India asking about hospital quality, doctor skill and also cost of surgery. While talking over phone, in one such desperate night, Farhana’s family members from Dhaka suggested them to do Farhana’s surgery in an International Standard hospital in Bangladesh.

They decided to come to Bangladesh to test their luck! Farhana was taken to this hospital straight from the airport; the Cardiac Surgeon there said the heart surgery will be done here in similar standardized method like any other world renowned International Standard hospital; the infection control parameters and cardiac intensive care support of the hospital are also at par with global standard.

Farhana had a five hour long surgery, after 24 days of hospital stay she was discharged in a perfectly stable condition. Her total treatment cost came to three lac Bangladeshi Taka only, which was 13 times lower than the price quoted in the New Zealand hospital!

Farhana looked at her husband and son sitting by her in the aircraft and thanked the Almighty for giving her back her life! One proud and happy woman she is, proud of her country Bangladesh, where doctors in a World Standard hospital with International Accreditation, have operated and cured her at such an affordable cost!

Anyone born with heart defects should not suffer anymore with it any longer. Why waste valuable time going abroad spending so much money when you can avail International Standard treatment in a hospital in your own country? Do not feel despair when hope is beckoning from somewhere near you!