3 minutes agoSpeaks doctor who sends Kosovo children for free recovery in America
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)Since 2009, Dr. Mazbul Beleg, through the organisation “Gift of Life”, has made it possible for heart problems to operate primarily in the United States. So far more than 90 children have benefited from this organization. Until the Health Ministry pays the travel expenses for these [...]
Since 2009, Dr. Mazbul Beleg, through the organisation “Gift of Life”, has made it possible for heart problems to operate primarily in the United States. So far more than 90 children have benefited from this organization. While the Health Ministry pays travel expenses for these children, the organisation in question covers operations costs. All of this is being done in the impossible to treat these children in Kosovo, due to the lack of childhood cardiosurgeology. In the interview given to Radio Free Europe, Mazum Beleg provides additional details.
Radio Free Europe: Mr. Beleg, Kosovo continues to have no working conditions, nor human resources to operate on heart-born children. What exactly do you do to help these children?
Mazum Beleg: Since the cardiosurgeon clinic has staffed only for adults, not for pediatric cases, we are obliged to take cases abroad. In 2009, this job was mentioned at the Rotarian Club in Pec, and a Kosovo girl with American citizenship has proposed that we start this job, and then we started through Dr. Gani Abbas, who went to Harvard University, has made deals. First we sent two free kids to operate in America, through organism. ) A couple of international lives.
We know we're not the solution to the problem, but we're a bridge to the current situation, because we should have a pediatric clinic for heart problems. Our activity should be the bridge for problems that could not be dealt with here, to send them abroad, not all cases. Therefore, we will continue until we are necessary, but children will have to be protected in Kosovo, without the threat of life.
Radio Free Europe: How many children during the year receive free services, and how many remain without treatment in the impossible to send abroad for treatment to all in need?
Mazum Beleg: In 2009, only two patients were sent in, then in 2010, 2011 and 2012, sent by three patients. Then the mission was organised from their side in 2012, where they came to Kosovo and selected children with heart problems and sent 27 children. It was an impressive number. In other years, there have ever been less, but the average has been about 20. 29 children were operated last year. All these children have suffered from holes in their hearts, a problem with which they are born.
In Kosovo a cardiologist has arrived from America, the director of the organisation “Gift of Life International” with headquarters in New York, has come a nurse specialising in cases of children, the manager of the organization, who provides the means for treatment of these children, because someone would have to provide the tools, since there is nothing free of charge even in American hospitals.
Radio Free Europe: Do you have any cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the responsible bodies here in Kosovo?
Mazum Beleg: The Ministry of Health pays the expenses for the baby and one parent. At first, there were few problems, but then the situation has stabilised. This has been because when 29 children traveled, it has been a little more problematic. However, we have also provided through donors that no child selected for surgery will be left out because of road spending.
Radio Free Europe: Mr. Beleg, you said that during the year you send over 20 children to operate outside Kosovo, but how many of them remain untreated to send all those in need?
Mazum Beleg: I don't know, because I don't have access to the data of sick kids. And I guess nobody knows. Even today, if I want to get information about how many children they need, I have no access. There should be a list of children who have problems and need surgery at the pediatric Clinic. This, because we're not the only humanitarian organization that sends children for free operation. It's supposed to be a list available for these organizations, but unfortunately there isn't. There have been times when teams from some part of the world arrived to operate 10 children, but only one child has been given to the clinic. The 17-member medical team from various medical issues has come and they are not apart satisfied. They have claimed that all those people are no longer coming to operate a child, but minimum ten as much as they planned to operate for free. This was because there was no list of pediatric clinics. Some of the children have died, some have been operated abroad and so on.
Radio Free Europe: Since you do not know how many children need treatment, what is the interest in taking advantage of this opportunity - operating children with free heart problems in the United States?
Mazum Beleg: The interest is too great. Last year after the team from America arrived, it has demanded that through my number parents of heart problems be presented. The number of calls has been unaffordable. This is because the children's early surgery from heart disease will be better for them.
