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!
The Indus Hospital 