BANGALORE, 17 July 2003 — A Pakistani girl who has become a mascot of amity between India and Pakistan was recovering yesterday from heart surgery, as her father set up a fund for sick children of the two nations.
The happiness over two-year-old Noor Fatima’s path to recovery was tinged with sadness, however, as Pakistani baby boy Babar Rehman, admitted to Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital near Bangalore a week ago, died Tuesday of pneumonia.
“Noor is improving as per our expectations,” said Rajesh Sharma, the cardiac surgeon who operated on her at Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital on Tuesday. “Twenty-four hours after the operation she is responding well.”
Noor traveled to India Friday for the life-saving surgery on the first bus service between the hostile neighbors in 18 months. Indian doctors performed a six-hour surgery to mend holes in her heart and correct defective valves. A spokesman for the hospital said parents Nadeem Sajjad, 35, and his wife Tayyeba Sajjad, 28, had visited Noor yesterday.
“They are quite happy with the improvement she is showing,” said spokesman K.S. Vasuki, who added that despite all efforts by doctors, the six-month-old Pakistani boy passed away. “From day one, he had been in the intensive care unit. It is unfortunate that the kid died yesterday morning,” he said.
Children, social activists and total strangers clogged the hospital to offer their prayers and good wishes for the recovering Fatima.
The girl’s parents “are drained out meeting people the whole day. Most of them are coming in with flowers and fruits day in and day out. Even the police chief of Bangalore send a bouquet of flowers,” Vasuki said.
The facility charges 125,000 rupees ($2,600) for heart surgery, half the amount asked by other Indian hospitals and 10 times less than the cost of such operations in the West.
The parents of Fatima said they had set up a fund for ailing children of the rival nations. Fatima’s father Sajjad said he was setting up the fund with the 140,000-rupee fee ($3,900) fee waived by the private hospital. “I have decided to form a trust which will help both Indian and Pakistan children who come here for the surgery but cannot afford it,” Sajjad said. He has also put in 100,000 rupees ($2,080) he received in donations from unknown Indians, while the Rotary Club donated 50,000 rupees.
