Amidst all the negative news involving an Indian flight, here's some positivity.
An Indian-origin doctor saved the life of a passenger who suffered two cardiac arrests on a flight to India.
Dr. Vishwaraj Vemala was traveling with his mother from the UK to their hometown of Bangalore. However, a passenger collapsed in the aisle, and the cabin crew asked if someone was a doctor on board.
Dr. Vemala volunteered to examine him to find out that the 43-year-old passenger had suffered a cardiac arrest. According to reports, the passenger had no pulse.
Dr. Vemala started the resuscitation process. However, it wasn't easy even for an experienced doctor. The flight was 40,000 feet above the ground, and the cabin crew had limited medical equipment and medications. The passenger also had no medical history.
The resuscitation process lasted for an hour till the passenger regained consciousness. Dr. Vemala was pleased to find resuscitative medication in the flight emergency kit. He got access to equipment like a pulse oximeter, glucose meter, blood pressure machine (sphygmomanometer), automated external defibrillator, and oxygen. The equipment was important to check the patient's vitals. The passenger was talking with Dr. Vemala.
Just when things looked under control, the passenger suffered another cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated twice.
Dr. Vemala and the flight pilot were requesting an emergency landing at the nearest airfield in Pakistan. However, permissions were not granted. The patient was without proper blood pressure and pulse for two hours and had to be kept alive for five hours in total.
They managed to arrange an emergency landing at the Mumbai Airport, where the emergency medical crew was waiting to attend to the patient.
Dr. Vemala described the process as 'scary' and 'emotional.' The passenger thanked Dr. Vemala for saving his life. He said he would be 'forever indebted' with tears in his eyes.
Dr. Vemala's mother got to see her son save the day. The incident made both the mother-son duo very emotional. He said he will remember this moment for the rest of his life.
Dr. Vemala works as a consultant hepatologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. Being a specialist who deals with liver conditions, treating two cardiac arrests 40,000 feet off the ground is something that only superheroes can do.
(Input from various media sources)
