Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Accident and Injury Care Unit to be inaugurated on first death anniversary
SHILLONG: The doctors and nurses of Bethany Hospital who were with former President APJ Abdul Kalam, taking care of him in his last hours, recall those tension-ridden moments. It was the first time that a VVIP was admitted to the hospital and he was in a critical condition. How did they handles the situation?
Our reporter visited Bethany Hospital on Monday to get a first hand account of that fateful day’s event. Five doctors and nurses had attended to Late President Kalam. They included T. Rymbai, Consultant Medical Specialist, Rajni Pradhan, anesthetist, Abhijeet Das, medical officer in charge ICU, A.M. Kharbamon, Consultant Medical Specialist and Pranjal Deka, currently in charge ICU. The nurses assisting the doctors were Avino Mao, nursing supervisor Sangi and Sushma Chettri.
Dr Kharbamon said, “It was an honour to have him here. As doctors we had fulfilled our duty to help anyone in need and at that particular time we treated him as patient as we believe that all patients must be treated equal.”
” At about 7 pm when President Kalam was brought here he was unresponsive, with no pulse and no BP. We had to rush him to the ICU, tried to resuscitate him for 45 minutes, put him on ventilator but it was all in vain. We could not revive him.”
Some of the staff not on duty also rushed to the hospital on hearing the news, Kharbamon said, “The hospital was filled to the brim and the streets were overflowing with anxious citizens,” she added
Dr Kharbamon said that it was destiny which brought late Dr Kalam to Bethnay Hospital and his final journey to the hospital and his being there for a brief while is imprinted in the memories of the staff and doctors of the hospital.
On July 27, Dr Kalam’s first death anniversary, Bethany Hospital is observing the day by organising a blood donation and diabetes training camp. Hospital authorities also informed that the Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Accident and Injury Care Unit would be inaugurated to mark this solemn occasion.
The Center will be inaugurated by Home Minister Roshan Warjri on Wednesday.
Last year on July 27, Dr Kalam was rushed to Bethany Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest while he was delivering a lecture on “Creating a liveable planet Earth” to the students of IIM Shillong. He was a Guest Lecturer at the Institute and had been coming there frequently. That Last Lecture was cut short cut short due to Dr Kalam’s sudden illness.
