Dr. Vitaly Dedovich, center left, of the Novick Cardiac Alliance medical team performs open heart surgery on Yazan, 1, at the Tajoura National Heart Center in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 27, 2020. The team was the best, and perhaps last, hope for Yazan. But that meant his family had to travel to the most dangerous place in the war-ravaged country — the capital Tripoli, where the Tajoura National Heart Center is located. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
March 11, 2020
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March 11, 2020 11:18 a.m.
US heart surgeon treats children lacking care in Libya's war
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Yazan, a 1-year-old Libyan boy, was born with congenital heart disease. With just one chamber, the organ pumped so little blood that when Yazan cried, his skin turned black. Without surgery, he would not survive.