Date:11/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/11/stories/2007071160891400.htm

National

Moved by appeal, PM comes to aid of child

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Moved by an appeal published in The Hindu (July 1), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has offered to pay for the open heart surgery of two-month-old Mugil Vannan from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

The baby’s father, Jayasundar, had placed an appeal in the paper seeking sponsors for the medical expenses of his only son, suffering from a heart problem and advised surgery at the Sri Ramachandra Hospital, Chennai. As he hailed from a poor family, he could not afford the operation. Dr. Singh sanctioned the entire cost of the surgery from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

A spokesman said here on Tuesday the sanction letter had been faxed to the hospital and PMO officials had spoken to the doctors treating the child.

A cheque for Rs. 1.7 lakh would be sent to the hospital.