Turkish cardiac surgeons completes 70 successful pediatric heart surgeries at LRH

A special ceremony was held at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar, to mark the successful completion of 70 pediatric cardiac surgeries performed by a team of expert Turkish cardiac surgeons.
The visiting team, comprising 10 renowned surgeons, carried out the life-saving procedures under the “Little Heart Mission”, aimed at providing humanitarian medical aid in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health, Mr. Ihtisham Ali, attended the ceremony as the chief guest. In his address, he warmly welcomed the Turkish delegation on behalf of the provincial government and lauded their exceptional service.
“Today, I stand proud as we celebrate not just 70 successful surgeries, but 70 lives saved — a profound act of service to humanity,” Mr. Ihtisham said.
He praised the leadership of Dr. Saadia Ilyas, under whom the LRH Pediatric Cardiology Unit achieved this milestone. Ihtisham highlighted that beyond saving lives, the mission significantly contributed to the capacity building of local medical staff.
“These complex surgeries, performed with the support of LRH administration, served as valuable training for our local cardiac surgeons,” he noted. “We are now better equipped to handle such cases independently, which is a promising development for our healthcare system.”
The Health Advisor extended special gratitude to Muntada Aid, the organization behind the “Little Heart Mission”, and particularly to its CEO Sheikh Naif and his team for making the initiative possible.
He mentioned that Muntada Aid has conducted over 3,000 surgeries across 14 countries through 50 missions, saving thousands of young lives.
Children from various parts of the country, predominantly from Peshawar, benefited from this mission.
Ihtisham congratulated the LRH administration and everyone involved in the mission for their collective success. He also announced that to reduce the burden on LRH, the provincial government is enhancing the capacity of District Headquarters Hospitals, ensuring that quality healthcare services become accessible at the local level across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.