Bhubaneswar: After undergoing ECMO treatment for over four months at MGM Hospital in Chennai, Debakant Pradhan returned to Odisha hale and hearty recently.
A native of Hindol in the Dhenkanal district, he was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on June 10 after testing positive for COVID. He was shifted to the ICU and put on ventilator support. He was suffering from viral pneumonia. His lungs too were severely damaged due to the infection.
The 41-year-old was then airlifted to MGM Hospital in Chennai from Bhubaneswar on June 18 for ECMO treatment on the advice of the doctors. The Commissionerate Police had created a green corridor to facilitate the smooth passage of the critically ill patient from the private hospital to Biju Patnaik International Airport.
He recovered after over four months of treatment. The family had to spend over Rs 1.5 crore on his treatment. Besides seeking help from the government and friends, they had collected Rs.8,16,497 through crowd-funding.
“I thank God, my family members and the people of Odisha. Their blessings helped me survive the disease and the post-COVID complications. This is a sort of rebirth for me,” Debakant told the media.
Notably, Abhishek Mohapatra of Odisha’s Bhadrak had died in September after undergoing three-month-long ECMO treatment in Kolkata.
Also Read: Odisha’s Abhishek Mohapatra Dies After 3-Month-Long ECMO Treatment In Kolkata
In August, former Odisha Youth Congress president Sangram Keshari Jena had succumbed to post-COVID complications at a hospital in Hyderabad. He was airlifted to the private healthcare facility on May 23 for ECMO treatment after his condition deteriorated.
They were among the first few to have been airlifted outside the state for ECMO treatment. The facility is now available in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.
Also Read: Former OPCC Chief Jayadev Jena’s Son Sangram Dies Of Post-COVID Complications
