A Mombasa based journalist is appealing for help to raise Sh1.8 million to assist her go for a heart surgery.

26-year-old Fatma Rajab is currently admitted at the ICU unit at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital where she expects to undergo the much needed surgery to help her get back to normal.

Fatma, a journalist at Mo radio was diagnosed with Degenerative Boprosthetic Mitral Valve with Severe mitral Stenosis Mild Mitral Regurgitation condition back in 2014.

Mitral valve stenosis occurs when the mitral valve in the heart narrows, restricting blood flow into the main pumping chamber.

This forced her family to take her to India to undergo a surgery to rectify the problem.

She underwent a valve replacement operation that helped her for the last nine years.

Fatma’s father Rajabu Ali said they (family) managed to afford the cost of the operation back then after getting support from family members, friends and well-wishers and also selling his inheritance house from his late father.

"I had to sell my late father’s house and also got support from family, friends and well-wishers to pay for the operation then.” said Ali.

Adding "Unfortunately the condition has re-occurred and we need Sh1.8 million which my family cannot afford for now,”

Fatma had a prosthetic valve fixed in her heart, but the valve has degenerated over time and can no longer function and therefore requires to be replaced immediately.

“If I had the money I could have taken back to India where she had the first operation to get the problem fixed, but unfortunately we cannot afford that”

“I am appealing to all Kenyans of good will to help me treat my daughter so that she can regain her health and go back to doing her work,” Ali appealed.

Her mother Mwanthumu Abdalla said Fatma recently developed complications after she started experiencing abdominal pain forcing them to rush her to the nearest hospital in Bamburi this week.

Things got worse and they had to rush to CGTRH where after close observations and x-ray reports, it was discovered that the prosthetic valve fixed in her heart had failed.

"We were working to raise funds for her heart conditions yet other complications have come up. Getting the Sh1.8 million is difficult for us.”

"I humbly appeal to our leaders and Kenyans at large to come to our rescue. My heart is heavy and in pain when I see my daughter in this condition, I will appreciate any support I get,” she said.

Doctors at the hospital have said Fatma is in stable condition but requires having the surgery done immediately.

Doctor Hassan Ali, the resident medical officer at the medical ICU unit said after conducting observations of Fatma when she was brought in this week, they discovered symptoms of heart failure immediately started her on anti-failure drugs.

"One of the drugs she was using had a side effect causing her abdominal pain and bleeding. We have put her on medication to counter that as she is still on anti-failure drugs too,” said Dr. Ali.

The doctor said Fatma is now in stable condition compared to how she came in, but the surgery has to be done immediately.

"She is conscious, alert and her breathing is okay. The challenge remaining is that we have to get the valve replaced immediately, this can be done within our center and we are preparing for that,” he said.

The cost of the operation at the hospital can be less than a million, but the same operation is costing Sh1.8 million at Karen Hospital where Fatma had her scan that revealed the return of the heart failure symptoms.

“We have a good cardiothoracic team here to handle such cases. The patient is fully in ICU, she has to be fully stabilized and once we do that she will be ready to go for the operation,” Dr. Ali said.

On Friday, fellow journalists thronged the Coast general hospital to donate blood to help in the surgery of the colleague.