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Kyrgyzstan “Heart Doctor” visits Manas AB

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ruth Holcomb
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN --  Dr. Samudin Shabyraliev holds a special place in the hearts of Airmen at Manas AB thanks to his selflessly providing over 100 heart surgeries free of charge to Kyrgyz children. As a gesture of thanks, the Bishkek Institute of Cardiac Surgery and Organ Transplant surgeon was invited for his first visit to the base, Oct. 25, to meet with wing leadership and tour the new medical facility.

The visit gave both the "Heart Hospital" surgeon and the base a chance to thank one another for their collaborative effort in savings the lives of those less fortunate and to look at opportunities to work together in other ways.

"We want to explore more ways that we can partner up and help each other," said Col. Christopher Bence, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "It is what good partners, neighbors, and families do. They help each other."

The gifted surgeon has performed 107 surgeries at the Heart Hospital, each of which was funded with a $560 donation provided by generous Airmen and the Manas Air Base Outreach Society. The donations covered the expense of a filter for the Oxygenator machine, which acts as the heart and lungs during the operation and keeps the patient alive.

"We hope to be able to continue to join together to make local hospitals more efficient for Kyrgyz patients," said Lt. Col. David Copp, a general surgeon deployed to Manas. "Right now there is a backlog of surgeries of young children that need operations."

The base facility allows the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group to provide first class care for coalition servicemembers deployed to Manas or transiting through in and out of Afghanistan. The structure replaced a six-year tent hospital and includes better inpatient facilities, an operating room, emergency room, a new laboratory and radiology section, a dental office and three individual patient care rooms.

During the visit, Dr. Shabyraliev commented on the quality of the new facility and extended an invitation to Colonel Copp to assist him with future surgeries at the Heart Hospital.

"Thank you very much for everything you have done, your donations are very kind deeds and the kids from Kyrgyzstan thank you and I hope to continue this friendship in the future," said Dr. Shabyraliev

As Dr. Shabyraliev prepared to depart, Colonel Copp accepted his invitation to help at the Heart Hospital and thanked him for his selflessness in helping so many children.

"We are thankful to be able to help people who are in need," said Lt. Col. Copp. "I look forward to the possibility of going to the Heart Hospital and performing operations side by side with Dr. Shabyraliev in the future."