Agartala , September 18: A six-month-old baby girl, Afrin Khatun, has been given a new lease on life following a successful heart surgery facilitated by the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Afrin, the daughter of Mintu Mia and Hena Khatun, residents of Laskar Para in West Pratapgarh, was born on February 26 this year at IGM Hospital. Shortly after birth, doctors observed that her oxygen levels were abnormally low, and she was placed on a ventilator in the NICU. It was then discovered that Afrin had a hole in her heart, along with other complications.
On April 5, the medical team of RBSK, during a screening program at the Madhya Pratapgarh Urban Primary Health Center, identified Afrin’s congenital heart condition and advised her parents to seek advanced treatment. Following their advice, Afrin’s parents took her to IGM Hospital on July 4 for an echocardiogram. Pediatric specialist Dr. Gopa Chatterjee conducted the test, which confirmed her congenital heart defect.
Afrin’s case was referred to a special pediatric heart screening camp at IGM Hospital, where visiting specialists from Apollo Children’s Hospital in Chennai confirmed the diagnosis. With the coordination of RBSK, and support from doctors Dr. Devika Dev, Dr. Sushmita Dev, and Dr. Sandeep Das, Afrin was sent to Apollo Children’s Hospital in Chennai for surgery.
On August 4, Afrin was admitted to Apollo, and on August 12, a team of expert surgeons performed the life-saving surgery, free of charge under the RBSK scheme. After a successful recovery, she was discharged from the hospital on August 30. Afrin is now in stable condition.
Afrin’s father, Mintu Mia, a laborer by profession, expressed his profound gratitude to the state authorities and the medical teams of RBSK, Madhya Pratapgarh Urban Primary Health Center, and Ashrampara Urban Primary Health Center for their relentless support and care. He acknowledged that without this program, the expensive surgery would have been impossible for his family to afford.
This success story has been shared by the health department to highlight the impact of the RBSK initiative in saving the lives of children born with critical health conditions.
