Ministry of Health doctors in Makkah have successfully operated on a week-old baby suffering from a congenital heart defect, in a rare kind of heart surgery.

The baby was frequently changing color owing to a severe shortage of oxygen and posed a medical challenge to doctors in the Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Makkah.

“An examination revealed that the baby had a case of congenital heart defect which could be corrected through surgery.

The baby’s external main arteries were blocked preventing oxygen from reaching the heart,” explained Dr. Mustafa Al-Attas who led the team of surgeons in performing the operation.

He said that a panel of doctors and ministry officials came to the decision that urgent surgery was needed for the infant’s well-being. “The surgery is the first of its kind in Makkah,” Al-Attas told Arab News.

Mohammad Sharif, the infant’s father thanked the hospital management for saving the life of his child, according to Al-Attas.

The 236-bed Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Makkah is one of the best state-of-the-art hospitals in the region.

The hospital is accredited with the Joint Commission International (JCI) and meets American and international standards in its quality of health care.