MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – Belarusian surgeons removed a tumor from a 10-year-old Syrian girl, BelTA has learned.
The little patient was visited by Belarus' Healthcare Minister Valery Malashko, First Deputy Education Minister Vadim Bogush and Syria's Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Rima al-Qadiri at the National Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology on 25 August.
The Syrian girl was part of a group of children who came to Belarus for recuperation holidays on the invitation of the Belarusian president. On 18 August the children underwent a medical check at the Minsk Oblast Children's Hospital. The medical check included common clinical and laboratory tests, consultations of different healthcare specialists, including a pediatrician, a neurologist, an otolaryngologist and an eye doctor. “If there were any questions regarding the health of a child, we consulted with other specialists, did extra ultrasound, CT and MRI tests,” said Lyudmila Legkaya, the head of the department for medical assistance to mothers and children under the Healthcare Ministry.
Every child was issued a report on the status of their health and the tests they underwent and were given the recommendations.
The girl was diagnosed with a tumor by accident as she did not have any complaints before. According to Lyudmila Legkaya, the doctor noticed some abnormalities in the tests and did ultrasonic scanning of the girl's abdominal cavity organs which showed she had a tumor. On the same day she was taken to the National Research Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology. On agreement with the Syrian party she was hospitalized into hematology department No. 4 and underwent MRI and CT-angiography tests to determine the nature and extent of a surgery. The operation was performed on 24 August.
According to the head of the surgery unit Artur Shimansky, the tumor was quite large. It was located in the retroperitoneal space involving major vessels, in particular the iliac artery. The surgery was quite difficult and lasted for about three hours. “We specialize in tumors located in this space. Thus, we did everything that depended on us,” the surgeon said. The tumor was removed. Fortunately, the tumor was detected in a timely manner and had not yet metastasized into the organs of the abdominal cavity.
The team of surgeons was composed of Artur Shimansky, surgeons Sergei Nazaruk and Ivan Avgustimovich.
Now the patient is stable and under constant medical supervision.
When talking to journalists Rima al-Qadiri noted that before meeting with the girl she expected to see fear and anguish on her face. “After seeing her, I realized that everything is going to be fine. We are very grateful to President Alexander Lukashenko and Belarus for the attention, support and all necessary medical help provided to this girl. I think that the current situation will play a huge role in the joint cooperation in the field of healthcare. The girl herself will now know that she has the Syrian-Belarusian family,” the minister said.
Valery Malashko assured that everything necessary will be done for the child.
Photo by Oksana Manchuk
