Nepali Woman Dies After Heart Transplant at Ernakulam General Hospital
Kochi: Durga Kami (22), a native of Nepal who underwent a pioneering heart transplant surgery at Ernakulam General Hospital, has passed away. Her death occurred around 10:05 PM on Thursday, following complications that arose after she was removed from ECMO support earlier in the day. Despite intensive efforts by a team of doctors for approximately six hours, her heart and lung functions ceased, and her life could not be saved.
Ernakulam General Hospital had achieved a significant milestone by performing this heart transplant, marking it as the first district hospital in the country to conduct such a complex procedure. The surgery itself took place on the 22nd of last month, where Durga received the heart of Shibu, a brain-dead donor from Kollam. Initially, there had been a period of hope as Durga responded well to medications and showed signs of returning to a normal state post-surgery. The hospital had invested approximately 1.5 crore rupees to establish the necessary state-of-the-art facilities for the procedure.
Durga, who suffered from a severe heart condition, was brought to Kerala for treatment by a Malayali orphanage operator. Her journey to receive the transplant was fraught with challenges, including initial legal hurdles that were eventually overcome with a favorable order from the High Court. She had endured a waiting period of nearly 10 months to receive a suitable heart. The hospital also incurred significant costs, spending approximately 12 lakh rupees solely on her medications during her treatment and recovery phase.