Israel

  • Print Friendly, PDF & Email
  • Send to Kindle

Baby of Syrian Refugees Returns to Israel for Second Life-Saving Surgery

A Syrian baby suffering from a severe heart defect was flown from Cyprus to Israel on Tuesday to receive special treatment at Sheba Hospital in Be’er Sheva. The baby first traveled to Israel in December, just days after he was born, to receive life-saving surgery, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Last year, the baby was transported to Israel on a special medically-equipped plane from Cyprus, where the child’s parents, are residing in a refugee camp. His life was saved thanks to the procedure at Sheba Medical Center’s Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital.

Authorization for the treatment was given by Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, after Cypriot authorities approached the Israeli embassy in the country with an urgent request to treat the baby.

After the first procedure, the baby and his father remained in Israel for some time before flying back to Cyprus. “During the baby’s time in the hospital, we made sure that the family felt at home and we will continue to follow his progress,” said Dr. David Mishali, chief of pediatric and congenital cardiothoracic surgery at Safra.

Israel has long extended aid to Syrian refugees on its border and elsewhere and has treated over 3,000 Syrian patients in its hospitals. A pregnant Syrian woman entered Israel in March to receive treatment at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa to save her life and that of her baby.

As part of Operation Good Neighbor, the IDF has transferred over 1,524 tons of food, 947,520 liters of fuel, 7,933 diaper packages, 54 tons of baby food, 24,900 boxes of medicine and medical equipment, 775 medical equipment units, 250 tons of clothing, 13,920 hygienic products, and more than 300 tents to Syrians since June 2016.

In addition, Israeli Flying Aid has sent millions of dollars’ worth of medical supplies to 14 hospitals and clinics in Syria, and the IDF-sponsored 20-bed maternity hospital also is supplied with Baylor medical equipment and baby formula donated to Israeli Flying Aid by Israeli companies.

[Photo: Sheba Medical Center ]