In a first for Balkh province, a team of Afghan cardiologists on Monday carried out a successful heart operation at Abu Ali Sina-e-Balkhi Regional and Training Hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif on a 45-year-old cardiac patient who was suffering from a heart perforation.

The team of doctors explained they removed the blood that was around the patient’s heart and transplanted blood vessels from different parts of the body to his heart.

The patient is now in stable condition, said the doctors.

The patient is a Pakistani national and is currently receiving treatment in the special care unit of the hospital.

“We successfully performed the surgery on the problem area in his heart. We also removed the blood that was around the heart,” said Ahmad Shafiq Horakhsha, a cardiac specialist.

Doctors said that the operation took one hour.

“When the patient came into the intensive care unit, he was in a very critical condition," said Burhan Anwari, a doctor, added that the patient had high blood pressure and other symptoms. 

Hospital officials said they want to increase the hospital's capacity to treat patients. 

“I had fallen ill, my employer left me on my own, but I received the best medical treatment here. Now I feel very good. I have a cough, but I can eat and drink,” said Ghausuddin, a patient.

“The doctors treated us like their brothers, they served us very well as Pakistanis,” said the patient’s friend.

Doctors said that if they are provided with the necessary medical equipment, the hospital will be able to treat the people in the province who have heart problems.