Doctor's lungs damaged post-Covid, to undergo transplantation; UP govt to bear cost

Resident doctor Sharda Suman, whose lungs were damaged after she contracted coronavirus while treating infection patients, will soon undergo a transplant at a Hyderabad hospital. Dr Nityanand said the transplantation is done only in some hospitals of Chennai and Hyderabad and when enquired, its cost is about Rs 1.5 crore, which a junior resident cannot afford.

Resident doctor Sharda Suman, whose lungs were damaged after she contracted coronavirus while treating infection patients, will soon undergo a transplant at a Hyderabad hospital. The Uttar Pradesh government will bear the cost of the procedure, which is Rs 1.5 crore. Suman (31) was posted at the Gynaecology Department of Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences here when she contracted the infection on April 1.

She is currently on machine support and had delivered a baby girl on May 1, who is healthy, said institute Director Sonia Nityanand.

''Due to coronavirus, lungs of Suman were affected and there is no other option left, except for the transplantation,'' she said. Dr Nityanand said the transplantation is done only in some hospitals of Chennai and Hyderabad and when enquired, it's cost is about Rs 1.5 crore, which a junior resident cannot afford. ''I met the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) with some doctors on June 29 and informed him about her case. The CM asked to take the matter before an expert committee, which suggested lung transplantation, after which the CM directed to release Rs 1.5 crore for her treatment,'' Dr Nityanand said. The amount will be transferred to a hospital in Hyderabad, which has accepted to perform the lung transplantation, she said.