By Rocky Issou
Mining Company Ramu Nico has come to the assistance of a two year old Hazzel Kawai who needs urgent heart surgery in Port Moresby.
The urgency in little Hazzel Kawai’s condition moved the Ramu NiCo Management Limited (RNML) in wasting no time in assisting with K5, 000 cash towards the travel of young Hazzel, her mother Leah Wangi and the medical escort.
Young Hazzel was born normal and was admitted for pneumonia when a heart murmur was picked up. Hazzel’s nature of illness is Down Syndrome before being diagnosed with a heart condition. Madang Provincial Health Authority Paediatrician and the medical professional who is at the forefront of young Hazzel’s condition is Dr Tina Yarong.
Dr Yarong said, “in 2021, Hazzel was lucky to have undergone the national screening for heart conditions and was diagnosed with a heart problem that is operable, some heart conditions cannot be operated.”
Hazzel has a duct or tube between the blood vessels leading to her heart that usually closes at birth but for her case, didn’t close up. At the time her heart condition was made known, her weight was too low to undergo surgery hence, it was upon the doctor’s advice that her weight be brought up before she undergoes surgery. During the operation, that duct will be closed up.
Hazzel’s operation was scheduled on the 29th of June 2023, upon regular consultations with doctors in Port Moresby General Hospital. Dr Yarong said, Hazzel is believed to be operated on by the national cardiothoracic surgeons who have been under training with the Australian doctors of the same field.
“Hazzel’s condition is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and the operation will see a duct ligation being done where the duct between the two big blood vessels leading to the heart is closed off so blood doesn’t travel through it” Dr Yarong said.
Upon arrival in Port Moresby, Hazzel will have to do a pre-operative assessment to ensure that all is well before her surgery. Parents, Barth Kawai and Leah Wangi as well as the medical professionals involved in little Hazzel’s medical journey are optimistic that all goes well with the operation because Hazzel is currently in good health.
Mother Leah Wangi said “It is my hope that my baby will get through this and they will return home together.” Hazzel’s mother who is a pay clerk with the Madang PHA sought financial assistance from a few business houses in Madang after being told of the operation was originally scheduled for Monday 19th June, 2023.
Living up to the theme “One Ramu NiCo, One Community,” the Company management saw fit to assist such circumstances in ways it can because it is more so investing into the little girl’s future, said the Ramu NiCo Corporate Office General Manager, Mr Charlie Hu.
Little Hazzel travelled to Port Moresby on the 27th June and she is still awaiting surgery, we will keep you updated on Little Hazzel’s story.
