Foreign Doctors Perform Over 70 Free Heart Surgeries on Children at LRH Peshawar Under “Little Heart” Mission

In a groundbreaking medical initiative, a specialized team of doctors from Turkey and the United Kingdom has successfully completed over 70 free heart surgeries on children suffering from congenital cardiac defects at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar.

According to hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim, the visiting team comprised 10 top-tier cardiac surgeons, cath lab managers, anesthetists, and ICU nurses. Over the span of five days, the team conducted a series of open-heart surgeries — including complex procedures like hole closures and structural corrections — for children aged between 6 months to 12 years.

This was the first time Pakistan hosted the Little Heart mission, with LRH selected as the flagship hospital for this noble cause. The success of this mission has prompted the team to announce their return in January next year, when they plan to perform over 100 additional surgeries.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Health Advisor Ihtesham Ali attended the mission’s closing ceremony and praised the efforts, stating, “These expert surgeons have saved the lives of many children. This mission marks a vital milestone in pediatric cardiac care in Pakistan.”

The initiative brought renewed hope to dozens of families who couldn’t afford life-saving heart surgeries, setting a benchmark for future international medical collaborations.