A 10-year-old heart patient whose condition is described as a 'time-bomb' will get the treatment he needs today - eight years after his name went on the waiting list.
Yet despite the wait, surgery for Huen Chi-ho will not be funded by the Government. Instead mainland-born Chi-ho becomes the 26th youngster helped by the Adventist Hospital Children's Heart Fund Programme.
Huen Chi-ho is having surgery on a ventricular septal defect not classed by the Government as urgent despite the risk of corrective surgery becoming impossible if he waited much longer.
Asked how she felt about finally seeing her son get the surgery he needed, mother Hui Yim-hung said: 'I'm overjoyed. I have lots of confidence that the operation will go okay. Most of the cases are successful.' Paediatric cardiologist Dr Gregory Wai Kee-ho said most recipients had been bumped down the government waiting list, which totalled about 600, because their condition was not as life-threatening.
'This situation is a time-bomb,' said Dr Wai. 'We could have waited another one year, but not much longer.' The fund focuses on Hong Kong children but is open to all Southeast Asian patients. For information contact Dr Wai on 2835 0578 or fax 2591 4475.
