My name is Fizza Rizvi and my family and I live in Hyderabad. The baby you see in this picture is my only child, Zaim. He was born at a private hospital in Hyderabad in 2018.
Zaim's lungs were not fully developed at the time of his birth and I will never forget the hardships this little guy had to bear right after he was born. He did not only have severe breathing problems, but also developed other underlying health issues. The doctors at the hospital kept him under observation for seven days, did everything they could until they gave up and told me that nothing more could be done to save him. My newborn was battling for his life at the time.
For any new mother, it is a nightmare to see her newborn suffer, and be in so much pain. I lost my sanity and had no idea what to do next and where to go. It was as if our whole world was falling apart.
In times like these, only a mother can fully understand another mother's pain. My mother saw our despair and took charge of guiding us. She had heard from friends and family members about their experiences with Dr. Heeramani Lohana, a children's physician at the Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre (AKMCC). She felt that Zaim's best chance was with this doctor.
Dr. Lohana put me at ease with her professionalism and thoroughness with our baby. Following a comprehensive examination, she explained Zaim's medical condition and its treatment. She mentally prepared us that Zaim's recovery will be slow and lengthy, and that it will need a lot of care and patience from our end. She answered all our questions, addressed our concerns, and assured us that the treatment plan has a high rate of success.
The first two days of Zaim's treatment journey at the Aga Khan Hospital, Hyderabad were very critical. There was little progress to be seen. He turned blue every time we fed him and it was so painful to see that.
I watched him as the care team would put tubes in his body to pump oxygen into his lungs; it seemed like nothing was working. But Dr. Lohana and her team did not give up; they monitored him day and night and worked tirelessly to keep him alive. We could see their devotion; they did their best to deliver their promise.
After a week, we finally started seeing results of all the hard work Dr. Lohana and her team put in. Zaim had started getting better. He came off tubes and started breathing and feeding on his own. Within a month he was discharged from the hospital. Looking back, it all looks like a miracle of Allah. As turbulent as this entire journey was, we have started appreciating every little moment of Zaim even more: his smile, his touch, his joy.
Dr. Lohana has been Zaim's consultant ever since. She did not lose hope when many did. My baby is now a little over 3 years old, healthy and happy. He is meeting all that milestones that every healthy baby should in their growth and development.
I would like all new mothers to know that seeking timely and appropriate care is extremely important. It may be an excruciating journey for parents, but at times like these, one cannot compromise and must only seek quality care they can trust, like we were able to find at AKMCCC.
