LUCKNOW: Allocation of Rs 1.5 crore by the state government for the emergency lung transplant on Tuesday came as a ray of hope for a 31-yearold Sharda Suman, a resident doctor at RML Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), battling for life for the past two months after Covid-19 caused irreparable damage to both of her lungs.
Suman, pursuing PG in gynaecology from the Institute, was eight-month pregnant when she had to be put on a ventilator after contracting a severe infection on April 14. A C-section was done while she was on the vent support to save the baby. She gave birth to a baby girl who is said to be fine.
Struck by Covid in the course of her duty at the hospital, Suman urgently required a lung transplant but her family lacked the resources for the surgery. On Tuesday, a few days after a delegation from RMLIMS met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he declared that the government would take care of her medical expenses.
It was four days ago that Suman's husband, Dr Ajay Kumar who works in Bihar, met the CM and apprised him that the family was not in a position to bear the expense of lung transplant. Dr Kumar was accompanied by RMLIMS director Dr Sonia Nityanand, chief medical superintendent Dr Rajan Bhatnagar and medical superintendent Dr Vikram Singh.
Green corridor to be created for city medico
The CM immediately directed his medical officer on special duty to assess the situation and submit a report. After OSD visited the hospital and informed the CM about the situation, the amount of Rs 1.5 crore was sanctioned.
According to an RMLIMS officer, after getting infected in the line of duty, Dr Sharda remained in home isolation for five days. As her condition aggravated, she was admitted to the covid ward of the institute. However, her condition continued to deteriorate and her lungs stopped responding on May 1. She was then put on ventilator support and an emergency C-section surgery was performed to save her baby's life. However, as the condition of the resident doctor did not improve, she was put on ECMO support. Her husband was informed that a lung transplant is the only hope now.
RMLIMS spokesperson Dr Srikesh Singh said, "We are in constant touch with hospitals in Chennai and Bangalore where procedures would be performed. They will send a team to airlift her once a cadaveric donation is finalised. A green corridor would also be created from the hospital to the airport. Institute might also send a team to assist doctors of the transplant team.”
