Pakistani youth can run again, courtesy Delhi hospital

New Delhi: Mohd Yaseen, a 22-year-old from Pakistan, had given up on playing football following a knee ligament injury two months back.

But then he flew down to India to get operated here and, after the procedure this week, things are looking up for him. The surgery on him was a successful, said the doctors at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital as they pointed out the interesting fact that 10 other members from Yaseen`s family, too, have received treatment for orthopaedic problems at the same facility. Dr Rajeev K Sharma, Senior Orthopaedic and Joint Replacement Surgeon at the hospital, operated upon Yaseen. He is also the one who has treated 10 other members from the same family from across the border. Yaseen tore his knee ligament while playing football. Unaware of the severe injury he had sustained, he continued playing till the point when his knee became swollen and he could hardly run. It was then that one of his relatives, who had undergone a knee surgery at the hands of Sharma some years back, made a call to India and Yaseen flew down to Delhi for treatment. Yaseen was suffering from a torn meniscus and a torn cruciate ligament (ligament fracture of knees), doctors said. "Young sportpersons often suffer from ligament fracture. But most of them ignore it until it gets really late for the damage to be repaired. In some cases, if the ligament injury is ignored for too long, it may need a total joint replacement," Sharma said. "I feel great pride for having built the trust in our international patients who come back to us for treatments. "Our experience with Pakistani patients and their families has taught us so much about Pakistani culture and the similarities between our societies," Sharma said. "It was only an hour-long surgery. We have full faith in Dr Sharma. I am sure that my son will be back on the football ground soon. "In Pakistan (the procedure) is reasonable but not effective. In India, treatments are feasible and hygienic. My mother was the first from our family to get operated here, in 2002," said Anjum Rafi, Yaseen`s father. PTI