Former Pakistan hockey player Mansoor Ahmed offered free of cost heart-transplant in India

Mumbai: Former Pakistan goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed, who has been suffering a major heart problem, may undergo transplant at Fortis Hospital in India as the renowned hospital chain has offered help to the 49-year-old legend. Ahmed had reached out to the Indian government for help last week, and is yet to hear from the authorities. The Fortis Group of Hospitals, however, has extended help, free of cost. [caption id=“attachment_4449577” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Mansoor Ahmed had requested for a visa clearance to get treated in India. AFP[/caption] Mansoor, who is being currently treated at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi, has been offered a treatment in Mumbai and Chennai. Ahmed is overwhelmed by the gesture by Fortis hospitals. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, he said, “Not just the Indian stars I played against, but people from India who I didn’t even know, have said they’ll support me. I’m now waiting for the visa to come through. I’m sure the Indian government will oblige.” He added, “(I am)overwhelmed by the love received from India.” Not to forget that Mansoor had just asked for a visa clearance and not free-of-cost treatment. Dr S Narayani, the zonal director at Fortis Mumbai, told Mumbai Mirror, “Once he gets a clearance from the government, we can get an assessment done to confirm whether he is fit enough to travel.” State Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant said the tension between Indian and Pakistan can’t be a hassle when it comes to saving lives. “We treat many foreign nationals. In this case, if the patient wants to be treated in India, I don’t see a problem,” he said. The biggest hurdle, however, for Mansoor lies in the fact that even if the Indian government clears the visa, he will have to wait for a long time because as per the rules, an Indian heart can be donated to a foreign national only when there are no Indians in the waiting list. A foreign patient waits for up to six months to get an Indian donor. Mansoor will have to wait for some time before he wins that one ‘Indian’ heart, that is all important for him to survive.