Dubai: Little Mahina Ghaniva from Tajikistan was born with a rare heart condition that did not allow her to go to school or play with other children of her age. But thanks to the timely intervention by a team of Dubai doctors she is now as healthy as any child of her age.
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The seven-year-old on Tuesday travelled all the way from Tajikistan to thank His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice -President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for helping her and thousands of girls like her make the best of their lives.
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At the annual year in review Iftar event of Mohammad Bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI) at Dubai Opera, Mahina walked on to the stage and thanked Shaikh Mohammad for giving her a second life. She then hugged Shaikh Mohammad, moving everyone present at the event.
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According to Dr. Obaid Al Jassim, Emirati Cardiac surgeon who operated on the girl when she was five-and-half-years old, Mahina was suffering from a rare condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, caused by a combination of four heart defects.
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The condition affects the structure of the heart.
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“We found Mahina during one of our missions in Tajikistan. Her case was very delicate, because in cases like hers the treatment has to be done around one year of age. But we successfully managed to operate on her and treat her condition and she is now perfectly healthy,” said Al Jassim, who regularly takes part in Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment’s Nabazat (heartbeat) mission.
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He said that not only did they manage to fix her broken heart they also brought her parents together, who were separated before.
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He added that the establishment carries out four to five missions every year to different countries, treating at 100 children in each trip.