Javed is a 29 year old bread-earner from a small village near Toba Tek Singh. He got seriously injured in a road accident. The whole family got disturbed as all of them were entirely dependent on him. The victim as well as the family had to face untold hardships and miseries. The primary hardship was […]
Poverty and cardiac diseases
Mitral valve replacement is a cardiac surgical procedure to either repair or replace the mitral valve in the heart. In the case of Tariq doctors opted for mitral valve replacement as repair of the mitral valve could not have been performed successfully in his case. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including heart disease are on the rise […]
Leg Amputation: a triple threat
As a result of a motorcycle accident at the age of 33, Zeeshan’s leg had to be amputated below the knee. He was treated for a month and a half but the injury was further complicated and the fear of gangrene loomed. The lower part of the leg was totally destroyed. The infection was so […]
Poverty and tuberculosis reinforce each other
A 30 year-old male patient was admitted to Lady Reading hospital in Peshawar with 2 months history of high fever, cough and shortness of breath and chest pain. He shared of anxieties of being sick for so long. Imtiaz spoke of ten or more episodes of fever and cough over more than two months, each […]
An Afghan girl’s dilemma
Years of war have depleted Afghanistan of resources and eroded their ability to care for the sick. The health system is plagued and the standards are low. Thousands of Afghans travel to Pakistan in search of medical treatment. Poor and limited healthcare infrastructure is causing the numbers to grow. ‘My daughter would have died if […]
Ali Hasan, a victim of hit-and-run accident
Eight year-old Ali Hassan was a victim of a hit-and-run accident. Coming from a dysfunctional family, he also suffered parental neglect following abandonment by his father, and family violence. His mother had sent him, along with his older sister, to work as domestic workers. His tasks included dish-washing and cleaning of the car. Their wages […]
Parmin Gul – A widow from Mohmand Agency
Parmin’s life did not turn out the way she had wished. She was married off at the tender age of 15 years, bore two children, and was a widow at age 22. Her entire world had been torn apart. She was brought up to believe in the ideals of motherhood and the sanctity of marriage. Widowhood, hence, has had […]
Story of Sakina Bibi
Sakina Bibi, an elderly woman aged 78, lived in extreme poverty. She had no source of income and lived an impoverished life with her two disabled adult children – a son and a daughter-in-law, both deaf and dumb – and two grandchildren. She was destitute and lived off the charity of her neighbours and the […]
Faiza – Victim of violence
Faiza, a recent divorcée aged 28 years, was born to a poor family. Face down, she lay motionless on the hospital bed, with both her legs fractured. One leg was plastered while the other, which had sustained multiple fractures, awaited surgery. The surgery was possible only if the financial costs were met. She had no […]
Heartfile.org – The Innovative Amazon.com of Healthcare Financing
When in 1995 entrepreneur Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com from his garage in Seattle (USA), fewer than 1 in 200 people worldwide had internet access and online shopping was just a year old. Today, Bezos’ innovative website has made Amazon.com the world’s largest online retailer, with $60 billion in annual sales – $170 million a day. […]