Afghan girl gets life-saving surgery

Zamzama meets Dr Cherian before her surgery

An orphaned Afghan schoolgirl has undergone life-saving heart surgery following an international effort sparked by a BBC film about her plight.

The film focused on an Afghan woman called Seema Ghani, who gave up a successful career in the City to go home and help the people struggling to rebuild their lives in the wake of the traumas of recent years.

So many people worked to make this thing happen, and her life has been saved

Seema Ghani

Seema was particularly keen to work with the orphans of Kabul.

The BBC cameras followed her on a visit to the city's State Orphanage, where she met Zamzama, a nine-year-old girl with a heart condition so serious that she would die without surgery in the next two years.

However, the surgery could not be carried out in Afghanistan, and visa procedures had made sorting out alternative arrangements very difficult.

The surgery went well

The BBC report of Zamzama's case was seen by Dr KM Cherian, a world renowned heart surgeon based at the Madras Medical Mission.

Dr Cherian was moved by Zamzama's story, and wanted to help.

"I felt we should do something for this child, not only from the personal side, but it would show the solidarity we have with the people of Afghanistan."

Diplomatic efforts

Zamzama now faces a healthy future

Dr Cherian spoke to the Deputy High Commissioner for Southern India Michael Herridge.

Mr Herridge contacted Downing Street for more details of the case, and courtesy of the BBC, Dr Cherian was eventually put in contact with Seema and Zamzama.

Zamzama has now undergone the surgery that she so badly needed.

Her heart had become enlarged, and she had a partially blocked aorta.

Seema Ghani drew attention to Zamzama's case

But Dr Cherian is very experienced. He carried out the first heart transplant in India, and his hospital now operates on 900 heart patients a year.

After two hours in theatre, doctors succeeded in normalising Zamzama's heart beat.

And less than a week later Zamzama had recovered so well that she was ready to go home.

With luck she should now have a normal and healthy life ahead.

More children

Seema is delighted at the way the case has turned out.

"We were so fortunate. So many people worked to make this thing happen, and her life has been saved."

Seema said she hoped many more children would be helped.

Dr Cherian performed the surgery free of charge

"These sort of problems are very common in Afghanistan, and any chest operation is basically not possible in the country because of lack of technology.

"Unfortunately, we don't have the funds to be taking care of all the kids here. The best way is to raise funds, or encourage other countries to bring the technology into the country."

Seema said she was delighted to have swapped London for Kabul.

"It is great. I love the people, the environment, I even love the ruins.

"I see great hope in the eyes of the people. Even in pain they always hope that something better will happen tomorrow, and it is happening."