KABUL, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- In a country grappling with profound healthcare shortages, a newly opened cardiac hospital on the outskirts of Kabul has begun offering specialized treatment for children living with congenital heart defects, restoring their ability to breathe freely, reclaiming their childhood smiles, and enabling them to envision a healthier tomorrow.
Supported by the Afghan Red Crescent Society, the 50-bed facility provides free diagnosis, treatment, and cardiac surgery to young patients from every corner of Afghanistan.
For countless children whose conditions have stolen their vitality and placed crushing emotional and financial burdens on their families, the hospital stands as a rare beacon of hope.
Mohammad Hassan, father of five children all afflicted with heart defects, journeyed nearly 390 km from the northern province of Jawzjan to Kabul, driven by a single, desperate hope to save his three-year-old daughter.
Having already lost one child to the same condition, Hassan now faces the ordeal with a mixture of anxiety and fragile optimism, seeking care that his family could never have afforded independently.
"I am happy that she is being treated here. Our financial situation is very difficult, and we could not afford the cost of treatment," Hassan told Xinhua.
A private hospital had demanded 300,000 afghanis (about 4,550 U.S. dollars) for his daughter's treatment -- an impossible sum for a daily-wage laborer struggling to sustain his household. With tears welling in his eyes, Hassan recalls the infant he could not save.
"My two-month-old daughter had a hole in her heart. She could not receive treatment and passed away," he said.
Naz Mohammad, father of a five-year-old girl, discovered his daughter's heart defect only after returning from work abroad.
He sought diagnosis at private hospitals, yet the prohibitive costs and his family's dire financial circumstances left essential care beyond reach. "Private hospitals have asked us to pay between 120,000 and 200,000 afghanis for her treatment. I cannot afford it," he said.
He now confronts a protracted wait of six months to two years, as throngs of families priced out of private care converge on the public facility.
Yet Naz Mohammad clings steadfastly to hope that his daughter's turn will arrive, that she will receive the treatment she urgently needs, and that she will grow up healthier with a brighter future ahead.
Dr. Abdul Wali Atmanzai, head of the cardiac hospital, explained that the facility commenced operations approximately two months ago, delivering diagnosis and treatment for children with heart defects, including those born with holes in their hearts.
For many low-income families, such specialized care had long been inaccessible. To date, 154 children have undergone surgery at the hospital, with four to eight procedures performed daily.
All services are provided entirely free of charge. "All services, from hospitalization and medical examinations to surgery and medicines, are provided free of charge," Dr. Atmanzai told Xinhua inside his office.
Atmanzai observed a rising tide of demand, with 20 to 30 new patients registering each day. While comprehensive national statistics remain unavailable, he estimates that more than 100,000 children across Afghanistan may be living with heart defects.
Without timely diagnosis, adequate facilities, and access to specialized surgery, many children forfeit their chance at life-saving intervention. "At the national level, 20 to 25 percent of such children may lose their lives," he said.
For Atmanzai and his colleagues, every successful operation transcends the surgical theater. It represents the restoration of a child's smile, the easing of a family's anguish, and the rekindling of hope for the years ahead. ■