LAHORE: The case of a young man who died allegedly because of 'inordinate delay' in the performance of a critical surgery has provided further painful proof of the problems in the public health-care.

Irfan, of Mandi Bahauddin, remained admitted to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology for eight months. A bodybuilder apparently in sound health, he required treatment for the rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

A doctor, familiar with the case, told Dawn that Irfan fell victim to the 'health system' which "did not support the deserving and the poor".

"I believe his life would have been saved had he been operated upon in time," the doctor, who didn't want to be named, said.

He said during the eight-month long period Irfan had become 'like a family member of the PIC staff' and his unfortunate death had shocked the doctors and nurses working there as well as to the patients around him.

According to the details provided by the doctor, Irfan had first visited the hospital eight months ago with a diseased valve and the cardiac physicians kept him under observation when he showed resistance to the medicine which was administered to him to avoid blood clotting.

On Sunday, they referred him to surgeons recommending an immediate double valve replacement (DVR).

The physicians' treatment notes categorically mentioned that one of Irfan's prosthetic heart valves had been obstructed and the patient was in dire need of an urgent surgery'.

However, there was a 16-hour-long delay in the surgery. Irfan passed away on Monday. He had undergone a surgery for double valve replacement in 2009 also.