Project GODA Performs Free-Of-Cost Spine Surgeries at RTEH, Muzaffargarh

The team from Project GODA, including Pakistani-American Surgeons, Dr. Muhammad Umar Burney and Dr. Adeel-uz-Zaman Khalil, visited Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital (RTEH), Muzaffargarh, and performed over sixteen spine surgeries on patients in need. All surgeries, tests, and implants were conducted absolutely free, at no cost to the patients and their families. Spine surgery is both a heavily complicated and expensive procedure. This makes it extremely difficult to access for the common man in Pakistan, where poverty and barriers to quality care are widespread. In accordance with its mission to deliver free-of-cost, quality healthcare to all, Indus Hospital and Health Network joined hands with Project GODA – an expert team of surgeons from the U.S.A. – who traveled to RTEH, Muzaffargarh, to transform the lives of patients at the facility.  In addition, the local doctors at RTEH were also given the opportunity to improve their professional skills under the guidance of the visiting specialists. Accompanying the team of surgeons, was Dr. Muhammad Amin Chinoy, Head of the Orthopedic Department at Indus Hospital, Korangi Campus, Karachi. The visit took place on February 20, 2023. Before the surgery, the evaluation process of the patients was completed in the outpatient department under the leadership of Dr. Gauhar Nawaz Khan and Dr. Hasan Raza Khosa.  Selected patients were admitted and underwent surgery. The following types of procedures were performed:

• Cervical Spine
• Occipitocervical Fusion
• Cervical Corpectomy fixation with cage and plate
• Post Decompression Lumbar + TPSF + TLIF
• Lumbar disc excision with hemilaminectomies
• Post Decompression + TPSF
• Post Decompression lumbar spine

Many of the patients had traveled far from home in search of treatment. They were astounded by the high quality of care received at RTEH, that too, completely free of charge. Among those who underwent the life-changing surgery was Sajjad Ahmed, a patient from Makhdoom Rasheed. Prior to visiting RETH, Sajjad feared he would never recover from his spinal disease citing the high cost of treatment. While recovering at the hospital post-surgery, Sajjad said, “I would like to thank the team of surgeons and Indus Hospital for caring for me so well. They have given me a future to look forward to.” Indus Hospital and Health Network is immensely grateful to Dr. Muhammad Umar Barni, Dr. Adeel-uz-Zaman Khalil, and their entire team from Project GODA for their hard work and dedication to bettering the lives of underprivileged patients at IHHN.  IHHN looks forward to future collaborations with the team to give countless more patients the chance for a brighter future.