In Assam, a 6-hour video call from a fishing boat helps save critical patient’s life

The circumstances could have taken a worse turn if it was not his close friend Mofisur Rehman who came to his rescue. (Credit: The Indian Express)

Lalchand Bishwas (45), a resident of Assam’s Morigaon district, was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in February this year. He was advised to be in regular touch with the doctors as his condition was serious. Things were fine till recently. Even during the nationwide lockdown, he was regularly following the advice of doctors. Things got complicated in June after the recent flood in Assam. Even as his health condition started deteriorating, he was stuck at his home because of the flood.

The flood has affected more than 1.6 million people in Assam this year. Bishwas started complaining of breathlessness, drowsiness and acute pain in his abdomen, according to an Indian Express report.

The circumstances could have taken a worse turn if it was not his close friend Mofisur Rehman who came to his rescue. Rehman, a pharmacist himself gauged the gravity of the situation and luckily took note of a medical prescription at Bishwas’s that offered a glimpse of hope.

Rehman told the Indian Express that he dialled the number of a Delhi-based doctor mentioned on the prescription, not being too sure of his action but luckily the doctor responded and asked him to arrange a video call to assess his friend’s situation. But, Bishwas’ plight didn’t end there. To make it even difficult, there was no internet connectivity in the region to establish a video call with the doctor. In desperation, his family and Rehman decided to row him on a small boat till a point where there was some internet connectivity.

Dr Ushast Dhir, associated with the Liver Transplantation and Surgical Gastroenterology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital was on the line on the other side.

Dr Dhir told The Indian Express that he used to regularly visit Guwahati for conducting liver OPD every month. He also said that his last visit was to the city on February 29 when he met Bishwas.

Dr Dhir quickly diagnosed Bishwas’s condition and instructed Rehman who understood the instructions of the doctor despite facing some language constraints. The video call lasted for around six odd hours connecting the critical patient on a small boat to Dr Dhir in Delhi. The combined efforts of the doctor, Rehman and Bishwas’s family reached fruition when Bishwas’ condition got stable. Bishwas will soon be brought to Delhi where he will be treated at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.