Yazan, 1, cries as he is prepared for heart surgery at the Tajoura National Heart Center in Tripoli, Libya. Libya has only one heart surgeon who can't possibly perform surgeries on 1,200 or so infants born every year with heart defects. But an international team of experts, part of the Novick Cardiac Alliance, regularly flies into Libya to perform surgery on patients like Yazan. (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.