Yazan, 1, has his oxygen mask removed after his heart surgery at the Tajoura National Heart Center in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 27, 2020. Yazan’s perilous trek from his small desert hometown culminated in a five-hour surgery. He is one of 1,000 children treated by Dr. William Novick’s group since it first came to Libya after the 2011 uprising. (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.