IMPHAL, April 12: In pursuance of the theme `Saving Lives and Building Peace` of the Rotary Gift of Life & Heart to Heart project, Rotary Club of Imphal, Rotary Club of Polo City Imphal in association with Rotarians of Rotary Clubs of Delhi East End and Delhi Mid West will be providing a new lease of life to 3 year old, Baby Neimuonzo Vaiphei from Leisang Village, Churachandpur, said a release of the Rotary Club of Imphal.
According to the release, Baby Neimuonzo will be the 112th child from Manipur under the project when she gets operated on April 17 at the paediatric heart institute – Fortis Escorts Heart institute, New Delhi. The surgery will be conducted by Dr Krishna Iyer, a renowned paediatric heart surgeon who has been so benevolent for not charging any of his surgery fees since the initiation of the project, the release said.
The surgeries are offered at One Fourth of the cost by the participating hospitals in New Delhi – the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, National Heart Institute and Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital, offering the best of the care and services. Interestingly, the funds are raised by the Rotarians of New Delhi from among themselves, friends, well wishers and Rotarians from different parts of the country and the world.
There is no funding from any Government or any organizations. Rotarians of Imphal have been contributing part of the surgery costs of the children from their own pockets, with few well wishers supporting the project.
At Delhi, all the logistics operations are coordinated by the Rotarians, from receiving the children at the airport to arranging their accommodation. Kalakar Trust, a project of a Rotarian has been offering the transportation services at Delhi at free of cost. Accommodation with free food is provided by Manav Ashray , an NGO . Rotary Blood Bank, New Delhi takes care of the average requirements of 4-5 units of blood per child. Another 16 (sixteen) children from Manipur hailing from far comers of the state, from Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Senapati, Ukhrul , Thoubal will be operated at the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute over the next three months.