Mangaluru: As India has many good hospitals offering best health care facilities, the visa conditions should be relaxed for those from Pakistan seeking treatment to their diseases, emphasised Maham Sohaib Malik (28) after availing treatment for chronic lymphedema at Institute of Applied Dermatology (IAD) Uliyathadka in Kasargod here recently.
Maham was diagnosed of chronic lymphedema while she was aged eight. "Because of the disease my feet used to swell making it difficult even to wear a slipper. When the pain intensified I was forced to use a wheelchair. I had undergone four surgeries and none of the doctors in Pakistan could come up with a cure for my disease. My father Mohammed Sohaib Malik (57), a machinist in Attock in Pakistan, did not give up. His research on Internet ended up with the integrative treatment offered at IAD in Kasargod," Maham informed over the phone.
Maham said they were granted a 45-day visa. Maham accompanied by father reached India through Wagah border. "All our apprehensions disappeared after experiencing the warmth and friendly care shown to us by IAD Founder-Director Dr S R Narahari and his team," Maham stressed. Dr Narahari told DH, when contacted, that since 2000 they had been effectively treating lymphedema with a combination of yoga, ayurveda, allopathy and diet. "We had published our first successful treatment for lymphedema at a conference held in Germany in 2003," he recollected.
Dr Narahari said; “Though earlier tests at many hospitals in Pakistan had diagnosed her condition as elephantiasis or lymphatic filariasis, we could clinically find that it was not elephantiasis but a lymphedema caused by arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and varicose veins." Maham said after undergoing treatment for 14 days, the lymph volume had decreased by 20 percent." The team has taught me how to continue with my self-care treatment through yoga, medication, and diet,” she said.
Mohammed expressed gratitude to Indian government and officials concerned for approving their application for seeking the treatment at IAD. Dr Narahari said, "We have advised the patient to continue with the self-care treatment at her home for the next six months. We will be closely monitoring her progress through online and continue offering our consultation." Dr Narahari said he had been receiving patients from Pakistan until 2005. However due to strict visa conditions, we had not received any patients for past 19 years, he said.