We invite you to take a tour of the Indus Hospital

The Sights of the Indus Hospital
Walk through the hospital with this video by our intern Marium Kirmani.

Anas, the “Indus Kid”

By Ali Naseer

Five year old Anas came to the Indus hospital when he was barely 2 months old, suffering from Osteomyelitis, a rare disease caused by an infection in the bone tissue. Osteomyelitis leads to the frequent formation of large abscesses in his bone marrow that rendered parts of Anas’ limbs useless, and threatened to steal his ability to walk.

Doctors at other hospitals saw multiple amputations to be the only solution, but his mother was dejected at the thought of her son living a handicapped life. Normally, a “second opinion” is an unaffordable luxury for people of Anas’ background, but The Indus Hospital has changed that.  His story moved one of our orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Mansoor, who devoted himself to Anas’ case. In a complex six hour operation, Dr Mansoor removed parts of the infected tissue from Anas’s leg and kept him under careful observation for several months after that, providing post-operational treatment and making sure the surgery had been a success. This was a trying experience for both Anas and his mother, who never left his side, but at the end, they walked home together.

However, Anas returns to the hospital every 5-6 months, as a fall or bruise can temporarily resurrect the infection, but this issue is always dealt with quickly and without complication.

When Anas’ mother desperately brought him to The Indus Hospital, it was just a fledgling NGO, itself only a few months old. Through the years, Anas and the hospital have grown and matured side by side. Now, Anas has come to be known as the Indus kid; he and Indus’ staff share a mutual affection, and this almost familial bond can be heard in Anas and his mother’s words.

Says his mother of the five-year old’s attachment to the place he has practically grown up in,

“Anas knows the staff really well, even better than his own family. He knows everyone’s names and when he goes home, he actually yearns for the loving arms of his nurse as opposed to playing with his siblings! Sometimes he even ignores me!”

“I have fun here. I come, get registered, get an IV, get an operation and then I cry,” Anas says laughingly. When asked why he has to cry, he replied plainly that it’s his job!

“I’m going to tell everyone about this hospital!”

By Rafay

Mr. Abdul Waleed’s story is one that illuminates the dangers faced by a simple and honest man, working hard to earn a living. Mr. Waleed, a 68 year-old gardener, suffered a brutal fall that left him writhing in pain, and a bone protruding viciously form his leg. His son, Muhammad Ali, explained the gruesome details of the accident, seemingly unfazed by the gory details as he stared stoically at his father’s injury.

Of course all of this was very shocking and rather unsettling, but then Muhammad Ali’s eyes completely lit up as he was prompted to talk about his experience at the Indus Hospital. Enthusiastically, he explained how despite having spent 6 days in the hospital none of the administration or the staff had given him any trouble. He spoke highly of the quality care that was being provided to his father and was visibly pleased with his friend who had recommended the hospital to him. He even went as far as to mention that, while other hospitals had rejected his injured father due to lack of available space, Indus Hospital accepted him with open arms and provided immediate service. Looking around the room he expressed joy at the high quality instrumentation and apparatus and the comfortable, well-made bed his father was lying on, taking joy in the fact that this is an amenity not usually provided for free. He felt that even the transport to and from the hospital was better because of its advantageous location, and that this was a convenience not normally afforded to people of his economic class. Throughout his interview he was all smiles. It was a refreshing change from the cold and worried tone he donned when describing his father’s injury.

When asked for a final comment about the hospital he replied: “I was very surprised to learn the hospital was free of cost and run on charity. I’m going to tell everyone about this hospital! In fact I’m going to come here for all my own future medical needs.”

Pirs Can’t Cure Polio

By Hafsa Usman

With 57.3% of children within the age bracket of 3-5 not enrolled in any school, and 65.5% mothers from the rural areas being illiterate, it is not surprising that health awareness and health education are extremely minimal in Pakistan. In fact, people lack the basic concepts. They choose to rely on local pirs and ineffective home remedies to help them, which only exacerbate the disease or injury. One such story is that of Natasha, a little girl of just 12 years who is currently suffering from polio, and has recently been admitted at The Indus Hospital. While her mother claims to have given her polio drops, it appears this is not the case and she was not aware of the nature of her daughter’s illness; the doctors of The Indus Hospital are certain that she is infected. Natasha is struggling. However, the doctors are working endlessly to help solve Natasha’s problem through surgery. For, though polio is incurable, the doctor’s are currently trying to help relieve her pain and prevent further muscle deterioration, allowing Natasha to move her leg with relative ease and ensuring that she does not suffer from further damage in her nervous system. Natasha is not paralyzed and there is still much hope for her. With the hospital’s help, soon Natasha will be able to live a normal life. The health and medical conditions are deplorable, and the lack of awareness present in the country is crippling, yet The Indus Hospital stands strong and works as a unified entity to help support the masses and make their struggle easier, so that their dreams which appear impossible, become imminent opportunities.

Sent to Indus by Neighbors, Found Relief

By Hafsa Usman

Kiran, a little girl of 8 years old, was previously a resident of Multan. Ever since she was a little girl, Kiran’s leg bone has been severely infected, resulting in sore rashes contaminated with the infection.The disease appeared benign at first sight, and Kiran’s family did not think much of it, relying on home remedies instead of professional medical treatment. However soon, Kiran’s condition worsened; though her pain was bearable, her bone started protruding outwards.  Luckily, Kiran’s family moved to Karachi in search of employment. While living in the city, neighbors grew more and more concerned about Kiran’s condition and suggested her family take her to The Indus Hospital. They all justified this request the same way; The Indus Hospital had supported and helped them when they needed it the most, giving them the courage and endurance to face their problems. The institution stood by them and provided them with the most effective and efficient service, taking care of them and not demanding anything in return. Once Kiran was admitted, the doctors informed her family about the gravity of the situation, but assured her parents that a simple surgery would solve the issue. Today, Kiran’s mother holds her daughter in her arms, her face, previously filled with fear and uncertainty about her daughter’s health, now calm and relaxed. She is filled with satisfaction and bliss. Kiran and her family feel blessed and claim that they cannot express their appreciation towards the hospital. Their experience will stay with them forever, and they will never forget how The Indus Hospital took care of them and shined as a beacon of hope. It steered them in the right direction, away from uncertainty, ambiguity and anxiety.

“If not for The Indus Hospital, we would be lost.”

By Hassaan Sayeed

Shahjahan is a seven and a half year old child whose penile gland is located in the wrong place since birth. Because of that the little child feels pain every time he has to urinate. His family is originally from Larkana and since the doctors in his village were unable to help him with his problem, he came to Indus Hospital. Here, he has been listed for a surgery under Dr. Zafar Zaidi.

Once Shahjahan is operated upon the doctor feels that he will be free of the pain that has followed him all his life. Shahjahan’s parents were thankful of Indus Hospital and what it has done for their family. They were in awe of the professional nature of the nursing staff and are extremely happy that their son soon will be free of pain. Shahjahan’s mother said “We are a poor family from the village, we could not afford surgery for our son. If not for the Indus Hospital we would be lost.”

A Different Kind of Healing

By Ali Naseer

Crayons, coloring books, and stuffed animals in hand, we embarked from the CRD department, making our way to the children’s ward. As Manoosha, a nine year old suffering from severely impaired vision, but whose condition has greatly improved thanks to the care she has received, and other young children brought pictures of sunrises to life with vibrant yellows and blues, they were enlivened themselves. Each stroke of orange in Manoosha’s piano could practically be heard as music, and the laughs, smiles, and tired yet enthused greetings we received from bedridden children afforded some rest to their anxious mothers. Despite the circumstances of many of the young patients, in the wards we visited, a dismal hospital room became a relaxed and playful space, this immediate and overwhelming shift defining our visit as a time when the children felt less like patients, and more like normal children living normal lives, allowed to embrace their creativity and stimulate their minds. As we shuffled from room to room amidst the doctors and stethoscopes, I realized that our work was providing a different, invigorating aspect of healing to the children, one just as important as the amazing medical treatment they receive here at Indus Hospital.

Spreading Smiles

This is an excerpt from the experience of a few of our volunteers here at The Indus Hospital. Read on to find out how they spent a day spreading smiles around the children’s ward.

The day started with us dropping our bags in the CRD Department at the Indus Hospital. From there we headed off to the children’s ward carrying our notebooks, cameras and a host of exciting stuff for the kids including drawing books, crayons, color pencils and toys.

The excitement could tangibly be felt as we entered the ward assigned to us. Our audience was a set of happy patients: Anas, Rajab and Muqadas. We approached each of them and gave them a paper and a color of their choice. The sparkle in their eyes and their gleaming smile was a treat to watch as they worked with the colors creating different pieces of art. To capture the moment we took hundreds of pictures and though the idea was to just follow their lead we couldn’t help join in on the colouring of Ben 10 and King Kong. The children felt at ease and for a minute even though they were so unwell, they forgot their problems. Instead of feeling sad over being stuck in a hospital these children seemed happy and in high spirits. And we learned a lot about their lives too. For instance we found out that most of these children went to school and some could even understand English. Muqaddas, for instance, told us about her school and her knowledge in English, Urdu, math, computers and science. Her intelligence was apparent through the way she filled in colours in her picture.

As we were leaving, the atmosphere in the children’s ward was at an all time high and we could certainly feel it. The children eagerly took the toys we had brought for them and waved us goodbye with a huge smile, something we will never forget.

A Terrible Accident, Made Worse by Carelessness

Zameer is a middle-aged man from a modest socio-economic family. He works as an electrical supervisor at the Siemen’s Company where he had a terrible accident in March. He was going about his business as usual when an entire container, weighing about 500 kg, fell on him during off-loading. He was taken to a hospital near his workplace but the staff there only treated his external injuries. His wound, however, was deeper than that and led to internal bleeding, eventually becoming infected and causing an accumulation of pus around the affected tissue.

In pain and confused about his symptoms, Zameer’s wife brought him to Indus two months after the actual injury. Doctors at TIH described his condition to be extremely serious and admitted him immediately for surgery. A series of operations had to be performed to get rid of the excessive pus in and around Zameer’s wound. Both he and his wife consider TIH staff their savious. However Zameer is extremely perturbed at the doctors whose negligence brought him to the brink of losing his limbs.

“I just want those doctors to pay for their wrongdoing! They give false information to their patients and perform needless procedures just to make money. They should be punished for their ill- treatment. I was treated without respect or attention only because I did not have money to pay them. But here at Indus, it was completely different. I was respected and treatment I could never have imagined to receive. Its unaffordable yet within my reach.”

What does Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy have to say about the Indus Hospital?

Academy award winning filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy talks about the Indus Hospital which was also where part of her documentary, Saving Face, was filmed.

Happy to Have His Face Back

By Ali Naseer

Faraz Anwer is a 26 year old student, living in Manzoor Colony, Karachi, who also works at an advertising agency.

Four  months ago in an unfortunate accident, Faraz almost lost half his face. Driving home one night, a stray dog dashed across his headlights, and, swerving to avoid the collision, Mr. Anwer flipped his car over the footpath, sending man and car into a vicious tumble. As his car spiraled above the sidewalk, Mr. Anwer was flung from his seat and sent careening to the concrete with a sickening scratch. All he had to show for saving the dog was a mangled right cheek and bludgeoned eye, raked against the pavement.

Faraz lay on the unforgiving road for several minutes before help arrived to take him to the nearest hospital, where he received first aid and a CT scan. After this hospital’s surgery attempt led to an infection, his family brought him to The Indus Hospital, where he received skin grafting and facial reconstruction treatments. After two successful surgeries, the good looking young man is finally on his way to recovery and cannot wait to have his face back!

“Meri Beti Pheli Jaysi Hojaey”

Komal is a 6 year old patient at the Indus Hospital. 3 months ago she was in a motorbike accident, where the bike ran over her left leg. Her mother, Parveen, who had just recently lost her eldest daughter, was traumatized and desperate to get Komal treated as soon as she could. Since the treatment was very expensive and completely out of budget for the family where the father was unemployed and the mother who was a house maid who had quit her job to look after her daughter, all other private hospitals refused to do the treatment and the one government hospital that did agree to treat Komal had just applied a plaster on the bleeding leg without applying any ointment or treating her properly for the pain. Finally, at the Indus hospital Doctor Maqbool operated on the child and freed her from the pain. All that is left now, is an x-ray and a few regular checkups and then Komal can happily run around and play with the children of her street like she used to before, hence, fulfilling her mother’s wish, “meri beti pehli jeysi hojaey” (I hope my daughter goes back to the way she was).